Daughter of the Moon
by HawkDramione
Summary: It was all normal at first, Arwen's parents took her to a picnic in the wood to celebrate her thirteenth birthday. What could go wrong? The forest had been checked to make sure there was nothing that endangered the family. But little was known that there were far more dangerous things than a cute black bear lurking in the shadow.
1. Chapter 1

**This is another story of a Artemis daughter. It came all of a sudden as I was having a bath *lol* Don't know why though, it seems that all of my awesome ideas only come when I'm half asleep or having a bath. Anyway, I'll try my best to complete this story.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my OCs.**

* * *

The sound of the rain woke me up in the middle of the night. It was so cold that I shivered, tryng to cover myself better with my father's jacket. But it was no use. The cold hard ground under me only made the situation worse. I was cold, alone,... _Stop there, _I scolded myself, _there's no need to complaining. Think positive. Think positive..._

Positive, huh? Well then, at least I was inside a cave, not outside it, or else I must have been dead cold then.

Wonder who I was and what the heck I was doing inside a cave in the middle of the night huh? It was kind of a long story, but since I couldn't sleep again, I would tell you my story.

* * *

My name was Arwen Ravenwood, daughter of Bowen Ravenwood - a famous Mythology professor. I inherited the undying love for myth and fantasy novels from him. That was where my name came from, too. We both have this huge admiration to J.R.R. Tolkien and his books. My father had once told me he named me after Arwen because he'd hoped one day I'd find my prince like Aragorn. Not that I complained but I prefered Legolas...

I have rambled again! Have I mentioned I had this horrible ADHD? It made me lose concentration from time to time. I also had dyslexia as well, if it hadn't been for my wonderful father, I would never have achieved anything at school, rather than detentions. He had raised me all by himself for five years long until he met Sandy, my amazing stepmother.

Unlike the evil stepmothers you've probably thought about, my stepmother was actually very sweet and kind. She was a colleague of my father long before I was born. It was her who taught my father how to take care of me as a baby, who looked after me everytime my father had to go. I considered her as my real mother, and in fact, she was the only mother I've known. My blood mother, as if I could ever forgive her enough to call her "Mom!", had abandoned my father and me right after I was born. Though father had kept saying she had a reason for it, but I couldn't bring myself to forgive her.

_" 'Still, I see no reason why I have to love her.' - I huffed. My father sighed._

_'Arwen, you don't have to love her right now. But you must know that she didn't want to leave you alone. Not ever!'_

_'I doubt that.' - I mumbled quietly so that my father couldn't hear. He would be upset if he knew I said so, no doubt."_

* * *

I sniffed, clutching for more warmth from my father's jacket. We used to be such a happy family that I've never bothered to wonder who my real mother was. Never. But it had all changed.

And it was because of me.

On my thirteenth birthday, we'd decided to take a trip into the wood, as it was one of my favourite place in the world. The day had gone so well until I noticed that there'd been _something _hiding behind the trees watching us.

_" 'You only imagine it, Arwen.' - My mother laughed - 'There is nothing but us here!' "_

_But there had been actually something lurking in the shadow of the wood. To ease my worry, father had gone deeper into it, so deep that mother'd started to worry as well._

_" 'Honey, I think that's enough.' - Sandy said, squeezing my shoulder to assure me._

_'Oh c'mon! There is no such thing scary here. I myself had this place checked before we came here. It is super safe. Don't worry' - He chuckled and waved me - 'Hey princess, wanna come here.' "_

Those were his last words, as _something _jumped out of the shadow dragging him down and _bit_ him. I was frozen in shock while my mother screaming beside me. That _thing_ then had turned to us, looking straight at _me_, showing its bloody mouth - my father's blood.

_" 'Run Arwen run!' - My mother screamed and pushed me away - 'Run!'. Her scream in horror pull the monster's concentration away from me._

_'I'm not leaving you!' - I cried. But she pushed me away and grabbed a gun._

_'Leave!' - She said - 'Run as far as you can. There are more of them. Run for your life!' - More things came from the shadow - 'Run Arwen! Hide where you can! Don't wait for me!'_

_'Mom!' - I cried._

_'Now!' - She said, as she lunged to those monsters for me to run away."_

* * *

I wondered why all my life suddenly went down. I had run as she said, found this cave and hidden inside it for a day. I wanted to come back for her so bad, but her voice gave me no choice, like it was a command to me. I had waited, and waited, but she never came back, and that was when I knew I had lost my mother as well. I had spent another day to cry my heart out before trying to get back home. I thought I could call for help. But I was so wrong.

I barely reached the high way before I had that feeling again, that _something_ was watching me, just like the day my parents died. It was the biggest dog I'd ever seen in my entire life, and I only escaped by tricking it to fall down the waterfall.

Since then, I hid inside my cave, managing to live by trapping some small animals like rabbits. I was so lucky that I learnt to do all those survival stuff just by watching Discovery, but there were something that definitely Bear Grylls didn't have to deal with: monsters.

They came to me day by day almost as a routine, and day by day I tricked them to fall down the waterfall. There are some I recognized as Greek monsters as those my father once had shown me, but some I've never seen before. I lost count after one week inside the wood, wondering if I would ever find a way out of this nightmare.


	2. Chapter 2

I was not sure how long I've been spending in the wood, but I knew for a certain fact that I was getting more like Tarzan day by day (I did jump from tree to tree) without a mirror to tell me it. My braid had gotten tangled terribly, making my once shinning blonde hair then such a mess that I couldn't name it. And for a few day I didn't even dare to watch my reflection in the stream anymore, fearing I would mistake myself as a scary thinny ugly monster.

That was it. I definitely would not spend my entire life hiding in the wood waiting for a monster that was smart enough not to be tricked by me. I was raised better than that. My parents used to tell me everyday to keep moving forward, and here I was, hiding pathetically like a caveman in fear! I couldn't bring myself to imagine what they would have said, because the disappointment was unbearable. Sometimes I couldn't even stand myself, just thinking about how my parents had sacrified for me to received nothing but a coward.

I gathered my father's jacket - the last thing I had about my parents - and left the cave. I was not going to turn back there, not where I was the biggest coward of history. I also bought a handmade knife (if it could be identified as a knife) and wondered deeper into the forest. Don't judge me, I knew it was a dick move, going into somewhere you could be kill easily like a hopeless prey. But I couldn't resist the urge to go back to where I last saw my parents, in a childish dream that maybe, _maybe, _ they were still alive, waiting for me coming back.

Childish, wasn't it? But could you blame me so if you were in my shoes? My heart clenched as I recognized the pass. Clutching the knife so hard that my fingers almost went numb, I took a deep breath. There was nothing, _nothing_, even the most dangerous monsters in the world, could stop me finding my parents.

* * *

It was kind of dark when I finally reached there, but I could still be able to tell someone, or rather something, had done a pretty good job to clean up the place. I clenched my fists as anger rushed over me like a tidal wave. How was I supposed to find anything about my parents? I rushed to every suspicious spot around, desperately looking for something reminding of my parents. None! None! I had even run to where we'd parked the car. It had already disappeared. The whole place, in fact, was nothing different than any other forest I've been to. In the sunset light, it looked rather peaceful, as if there had never been any bloody murder happened.

Exhausted both mentally and physically, I collapsed on the ground shaking, but no tears came, as if I was too dried to cry. Curling up like a ball, I let out a wild scream. How could any of this happen to me? What had I done wrong to receive such punishment? I was not a perfect girl, but I was not a trouble maker either. I was good to my parents, I loved them, I idolized them, I always wanted to make them proud of me... Tell me god, what had I done wrong to deserve such a cruel fate!

The scream turned into small sobs as I ran out of breath. Still no tears came. I wished at least I could cry to feel better. I didn't care if there were any monsters came. Maybe if there were, they could kill me and then I would reunite with my parents.

But then nothing came, leaving me alone in my little world, downing in my own desperate thought. Has anyone noticed our disappearance? Has anyone been looking for us? I rolled up, staring at the shining stars above. Did they know? Did they know what happened to my mother? Did they know what those monsters had done to my family?

The wind blew, chasing the dark cloud away, revealing the beautiful shining round moon. Its light, once I had found so calm and peaceful, then became cold and distant. Did it see I was suffering here? Did it see I was so in need of some little comfort then? Did it know I longed for my family so much that my heart could no longer feel? Were there any creatures out there still cared for me as a parent?

The tears finally came, lulling me to a dream full of screams and horror.

* * *

The warm bright sunlight woke me up, and for a milisecond, I had thought that it was my father voice calling me to get breakfast.

Then I opened my eyes and stared at the scene in front of me. It felt like a lighting bolt had strucked meas reality hit on my realization. I was an orphan with no place to go and a bunch of monsters waiting for me as their delicious meal.

Talk about monster...

My breath hitched and my heart sped up like crazy as I felt another presence so close near by. A monster, no doubt. It must have approached me while I was asleep. Hopefully I still had enough time to avoid it. But as I stood up, the biggest figure came into my view, and I swore that was one of the ugliest things I've ever seen.

It could probably be a giant if it weren't for its head. On its broad shoulder there was this ugly huge bull head with enormous horns and scary deadly red eyes that were eying me as if wondering this skinny figure would worth a meal or not. I hope not. After an endless time spending in the wood with an empty stomach most of the time, I would be no more of a walking dead.

Unfortunately, it didn't think so (I merely remember its name from a book of my father, wasn't it Minotaur?). With this horribly loud roar, it lunged at me.

Never before in my life had I wanted to fly so much! I ran my best with the lightning speed of mine, but with its unfairly long legs, the monster seemed to be able to catch me any moments.

I didn't care where I was running to. Wherever not a monster's hungry mouth would be a heaven for me. But just as in a cheap horror movie, I did the most stupid thing on Earth.

I fell.

Quite pathetic wasn't it?

I let out a hopeless scream as I rolled like a ball down a hill with this super angry Minotaur behind me. It must have been such a hilarious scene if it hadn't been my life that were in danger! I didn't even know anything else but screaming and praying to any gods out there to end this ridiculous nightmare and return my life back to me.

Maybe god did exsist. As soon as I prayed, I found myself _flying_ off the ground and landed sofly on something. The roar of Minotaur was still loud, but seemed far away. I tried to get up but my head was spining around like crazy that I couldn't even see clearly.

There were footsteps coming to me, and I gave up after the fifth time trying to get up. Luckily my hearing wasn't as damaged as my eyesight.

"Oh my gods!"

"What is she doing here? How did she get in?"

"Leave it later! She needs medical treatment right now! C'mon, give me a hand! Be careful, she could have broken bones!"

"Alright."

That was all I heard before I went unconscious.


	3. Chapter 3

The throbbing pain was the first thing I was aware of. It reminded me of the event yesterday... Wait, how long had I been unconscious?

My ears started to catch up with a conversation near by. The headache was horrible, butI could still make out they were talking about me, something like "..._dead..." _and "_...impossible..."._ I even heard something like "..._demigod..._". Weird, huh? I must have heard wrong.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, grimaced a little because of the sudden light. I was lying on a soft white bed, the one you usually saw at hospital. The smell confirmed my doubt: I was in an infirmary. Carefully with all the bandages on my head, I turned around and...

Wow, I must have pretty seriously damaged my head!

A centaur, I repeated,_ a_ _freaking centaur, _was _talking_ to a boy who was _way too young_ to be a doctor, but everything on him screaming he was! My gaze then dropped on the window, where a _freaking tree_ was talking with a girl! A small smile grew on my face, and then quickly turned to maniac giggle. This of course drew the attention toward me.

"Ah, the girl is finally awake!" - The centaur talked to me. By this point, I couldn't hold my laughter anymore. I rolled over the bed shaking uncontrollably because of laughing so hard, despite my head's objection.

"This..." - I hiccuped - "...is freaking..." - Tears were streaming down my eyes and my stomach started to protest too - "...hilarious...". The doctor boy shook his head and mumbled something that involved my skull, but the centaur only smirked.

"I trust your work, Will. I think the girl is just a little shock, that is. Give her time to accept the truth and it will be alright."

What truth? That I was crazy? Yeah thanks, but I myself had already figured it out! However, before I could voice my thought, the doctor boy had waltzed out of the room, leaving me alone with a talking centaur that was looking at me with those wise eyes, making me finally calm down my little outburst. Still, it took me full fifteen minutes to completely stop laughing. Instead, I returned the centaur my most innocent look.

"Calm down, huh?" - He/It asked, and I could only nod. More laughing could probably cause my head forever damage. - "Good. To assure you, no, you are completely fine. Your head was not that badly damaged. So that means that yes, I am a centaur and I am real, as much real as you and Will - the boy who has just left. My name is Chiron. You got it?" - I nodded, though his words made no sense to me. - "Good. There are a lot of things I have to explain to you, but it'd better be shown than told. Can you walk?"

Numbly, I nodded, getting out of the bed. The world spinned around a bit, but before my head could contact the ground gloriously one more time, a firm hand steadied me. I looked up and met a pair of concerning brown eyes. So he was actually _real._

"I'm fine." - I told him, and Chiron the centaur let go of me, however I could still feel his eyes studied me, ready force me to bed if I were going to fall again. - "I'm fine." He nodded.

"Follow me."

He walked me down on a hill. I could see children of all age running around in a orange t-shirt with "CHB" on it. Some holding swords, some holding spears, all running around and shown no surprise seeing a centaur. Instead they stopped and greeted him respectingly. This place could be awarded as the weirdest summer camp on Earth. However, I was the one who was being surprised about. Ignoring the pointing and whispering, I listened to Chiron's talk. He told me about Greek Myth and the gods, which I had already known. My father had studied Mythology, mind you.

The thought of him brought guilty and sadness back at me. The centaur looked down and asked me what was wrong with the most caring voice that I'd ever heard from a total stranger. His voice reminded me back to the time I had been bullied at school, and my father used to hold me in his arm and tell me to be strong, to be his warrior princess...

I couldn't hold back the tears any longer, and I burted all out to Chiron, everything, from my blood mother abandoning me when I was just a baby, to the Minotaur and finally me waking up here. By the time I finished my story, not only Chiron, but also a lot of campers who had stopped to listened to me, had tears in their eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Arwen." - He said, rubbing my back comfortingly. - "I'm so sorry for your lost. I wished I could do anything to help you, but I can't. I'm sorry." - I nodded, sniffing quietly. - "But there is this thing I have to tell you at once. And I'm afraid I can't think of a way to make it sound better to you, after all you've been through. But I need you to listen, Arwen, and trust me, because every word I say is truth and the truth only."

I looked at him, curiously. Some campers looked uncomfortable.

"Can we tell her tomorrow Chiron?" - A boy asked - " She's been stressful too much for today." - But Chiron shool his head sadly. Turning to me, he asked.

"I believe you've known by heart the Greek Myth, haven't you?" - Again, I only nodded. - "So you do know that the gods tend to have children with mortal women." - Another nod. I was still wondering why Greek Myth had anything to do with me. - " Arwen, please stay calm. The gods and goddesses _are_ all real. They are. The children around you, Arwen, and you yourself, are their children. You are a demigod."

I wished I could faint. But sadly I couldn't. I just sat there stared at the solemn centaur with wide eyes.

I was what?


	4. Chapter 4

It took me a whole week to accept the fact that I was not human completely, but to accept that I was a demigod? It was another story. However, for every camper's sanity, I decided to keep my doubt at base, so that whenever someone mentioned _the word_ to me, I just smiled that creepy smile of mine instead of laughing my head off. You might think that growing up reading fantasy novels and myths, I would have been able to cope with this situation better, but, mind you, I grew up with the knowledge that _none _of which was real. They were really cool stories for me to hide in whenever I felt the world was so cruel.

During that time, I stayed in Hermes cabin - which was already full of children - because my mother hadn't claimed me yet. It was considered weird because Percy Jackson - the greatest hero of the time - had made the gods promise to claim their children once they reached thirteen - which I had last month. Once again I was awed by myself by the fact that I had live on my own in a forest full of monsters for a whole month (Chiron did not share the feel). Although Chiron had said that sooner or later I would be claim, the campers were still very curious. Some of the Athena kids suggested that I could be identified by my _talent_ and that was the exact reason why I didn't feel very peaceful at Camp.

I had to take lessons to everything, and by "everything" I meant _everything. _I had to study about Greek and history with the Athena kids - which was much cooler than school but still I couldn't get the slightest thing what they were talking about. And then gardening with the Demeter kids turned our so bad that they banned me from the garden - I only accidentally stepped on a tree! The Stolls brother - from Hermes cabin - congratulated me heartily on that. Then came to Hecate, somehow I turned my teeth blue and the Camp got a chance to laugh their heads off, even Mr.D! I did not do badly at the Aphrodite challenge - as people put it in - but those kids annouced that I wasn't good enough to be one of them. Phew! I actually happy with that, some of the Aphrodite kids scared the creep out of me.

So after about two weeks, I was considered as Camp's comedian, and I couldn't really blame them - I had laughed at myself too! The only thing I didn't make a fool of myself was archery. I learn't pretty quickly, though it would took me months to hit bullseye everytime as the Apollo kids. But I had to lessened my time to practise after accidentally hitting one of Apollo's son. It wasn't my fault but the other from Apollo cabin didn't think so. I was not bad at sword fighting either, but the Ares campers usually took me as their practising target. Couldn't understand why.

All in all, life at Camp was not as bad as I thought. It was a little too bit eventful, but I was told it was the same to every new camper. Sometimes I missed my parents so much that I woke up in the middle of the night crying. Time like those, I usually stared at the moon to calm down, from here it was less cold and distant than in the wood. And then I would fall asleep, ready for a new day.

Today, however, was more special. It was the annual Camp visit of the Seven - seven greatest demigods. To celebrate this, Chiron decided to hold a Capture the Flag game. I had no idea what it would be like, I had never participated in one. But Kyle - a son of Hermes who had volunteered to take care of me as a brother - assured me.

"Don't worry." - He said while ajusting my armor - "You'll be on my team to capture the flag of the other team. Just stick with me, okay?"

"Okay." - I nodded nervously. The helmet blocked my sight a bit and it worried me. Archery was my best skill, what would happen if I missed my targets?

"I told you not to worry." - Kyle punched my side slightly. - "I see you've been told too much horror stories."

"I'm not worry." - I protested, but Kyle gave me a doubtful look - "Fine, a little bit." - He chuckled.

"I'll take care of you." - He promised - "And anyway, we have Athena kids on our side, not to mention Annabeth herself, she is the best of the best. And of course we have Percy, Frank and Nico as well. I'm pretty sure that we would win tonight." - He smiled smugly. I sighed quitely, I hadn't had the honor meeting anyone of the Seven yet, they seemed to be too cool for me to meet. It reminded me of the time I desperately wanted to meet my idol but I just simply couldn't.

"Ready?" - I nodded again. - "May the odds be ever in our favor!"

Did he just quote The Hunger Games?

* * *

The sound of a pretty intense fight could be heard from afar, along with the campers' cheering.

"I bet it is Jackson and Grace." - Nico spoke up quietly as our little group made our way to the Zeus's fist. The sky was cracked with a bolt confirming Nico's guest. He was this creepy son of Hades who could easily scare the death out of you, but the older campers told me he used to be even scarier before he dated Will Solace of Apollo cabin.

"Yeah, what a shame we can't attend to take a bet, huh?" - Kyle joked. - "C'mon, hurry up and maybe we will catch the last round."

I silently followed Kyle and Nico. Behind me was a son of Demeter - Dante - who was the same age at me. He hadn't spoken a word to me - probably because the chaos I'd caused at the garden. Another Hecate's daughter, and that was our team.

I felt like I only tagged along because Kyle had begged Annabeth for that. She had analyzed me with such a cold stare that gave my goose bump before agreeing. I was like the most useless person here. In spite of being the same age as me, Dante had went to Camp since eight, and therefore he had much more experience than me. He even talked to all of the Seven! Ugh!

Finally we made to the Fist. The Flag was clear in our sight, but none of the guards was seen. We decided not to show up yet.

"Arwen, you have the best eyesight, go and find where the guards are." - Kyled ordered.

"Alone?" - I asked. He thought for a second and added - "And Maria."

The Hecate girl nodded. Together we made it closer to the Flag, but still remained in the safe shadow of the trees.

"I think we should climb to get a better view." - I told Maria, stopping by a tree. She looked at the tree and then at me.

"Why don't you hide up there and we came to the Flag. If any guards came out you knock them down up here, so that all of us will be safe." - I quirked up an eyebrow. Not a bad idea.

"Alright" - I agreed, starting to climb. - "It makes me feel like Hawkeye."

Maria smirked at my joke, I knew she was a huge fan of Marvel, and disappeared in the shadow. I climbed to the highest branch I could find, where I could hide and watch the whole scene easily. I could even see a large group of campers gathering by the river side, obviously where the fight between two sons of the Big Three was held. Returning to the hill, I saw Kyle lead the group silently as shadows to the Flag. I got my arrows out, there was a huge chance that this was a trap by Will - the leader of Apollo cabin. He was a pretty good at planning, just not as good as Annabeth.

And there they were. I noticed a movement behind the opposite trees - where Kyle couldn't see. A large group of campers - Ares and Apollo - was ready to attack my group. My bow and arrows were ready as well. I aimed one of them - Edward of Ares cabin - as he led two others to behind Dante.

He raised his swords up. Dante turned back but not quickly enough. I released my arrows. It hit Edward perfectly, though not as seriously as I could have done more. Then chaos broke loose. My group was outnumbered, and I tried to shot as many opponents as I could.

"There she is, the archer!" - An Apollo's daughter screamed, pointed at me. Her brother shot me right at once, but luckily I had jumped down off the tree on time. I ran of arrows anyway.

Grabbing my swords, I charged another girl, hopefully it was one of the Apollos. But no, it had to be an Ares daughter. She roared and lunged at me.

"Duck!" - Dante yelled. I immediately did. A small branch hit her head and she fell unconscious. I grabbed an arrow lying on the ground and shot another Ares camper behind Dante.

"Thanks!" - He nodded, and ran to the Flag. Nico, Kyle and Maria were keeping other guards busy for Dante to make it. But there were some not busy enough, they chased Dante.

As quickly as possible, I gathered arrows on the ground and followed them. I couldn't let them win. Not in my first game.

Had I mentioned how competitive I was?

Before I could stop those chasers, I was knocked down by a _huge_ figure. An Ares boy if I had to guest, only one of them could be that heavy.

"Well well, isn't this the new spawn? Still an orphan, I see." - He lifted me up with ease. I let out a yell and tried to kick him, but my legs weren't long enough. - "Such a fighter she is, huh?" - He joked, and the others laughed. I felt my face hit up with anger. I hate them mentioning my parents in such a way with a passion.

"Shut up!" - I growled. - "Put me down!"

"Let me think... Nah! Let see how long you can struggle against me!" - He kept laughing. - " Maybe it was because you are so naughty that your parents decided to abandon you, you know, like in the first place with your mother."

His laugh was cut off violently. My foot had made a perfect land on his face, particularly, his nose. It was broken pretty bad. He let out an inhuman roar, but my blood was already boiled by anger that I no longer felt scared. No one, _not any single creature on Earth,_ could insult my parents and lived with that. I did not allow them to.

I landed on my feet, taking each step toward him slowly and calculating. I could torture him. I could torture his family. I could even torture Ares himself! Who did he think he was? Who gave him the right to insult my family? _MY FAMILY! _They died heroically to protect me. I would not allow anyone, even the King of the God, to insult _my family_!

He took a step back. All of them did. The anger took over me, all I saw was cover in bloody red.

I could practically see _me_ killing him - the nameless Ares kid. Killing him in everyway I knew. Slowly, painfully.

Like how my parents died.

"Arwen." - Kyle called me, but his voice sounded far away. - "Let it go. He doesn't deserve it."

My hands shook violently, urging to freed that head from the pathetic shoulders. I could see it in my head.

"Let go, Arwen!" - This time it was Nico. He pulled me back. - "Go."

Reluctantly, I let him drag me away.

"Yeah, run. Still a stupid pathetic spawn, no more. You don't deserve to be here!"

I lunged myself at him. Ares could have his son's pieces if he wanted.


	5. Chapter 5

"_... It was scary..."_

_"You have to see it to believe!"_

_"... Oh my gods she almost killed him! I swear on the River Styx she had..."_

_"... Stupid spawn...Ares is gonna be pissed off..."_

I sat in front of Mr. D's desk, not even dared to look at any where else but my shoes. Chiron let out a tired sigh.

"I'll leave her to you then, have to check the boy." - The centaur said and left. My logical part groaned desperately, I was so doomed.

_So what?_ The other part (I couldn't tell if it was the childish or the arrogant one) _As if I gave a damn!_

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Mr. D stood up and started to walk around. This was never a good sign.

"Are you aware of" - He spoke up after a century of silence - "how much trouble you've caused?"

I sank deeper into my chair. Mr. D rubbed his forehead tiredly. - "I know this is a hard time for you, young one, losing parents and stuff. But that doesn't give you the right to legally cut someone to pieces, especially a demigod, though it's true that I wouldn't give a damn if one of Ares's sons suddenly died!" - He grumbled, as thunder could be heard from afar. - "There is nothing I can do for you, yound lady. You have angered a god, the God of War actually. I woudn't risk all of the campers here to hide you from his warth. And I suggest praying, though with Ares that may not change anything."

He waved his hand, and a Diet Coke appeared on the desk. I understood that I was allowed to leave, but my legs seemed to give up on the thought going outside and facing the Camp.

With all of my will power, I dragged myself out before I could anger another god as well. It was already dark, the dinner must have been over, however if it had been still, I couldn have ever eaten nothing anyway. The campers were at the shore singing as every night, but I wasn't going to join them. I was scared, but of what, I couldn't tell. Some of them seemed not to mind me beating life out of an Ares boy, but some - especially his siblings - were ready to kill me any moment their father allowed them to.

Honestly I didn't think it would be that bad. I had been out of control and lunged myself at him, punched and kicked with everything I had (which I doubted were anything more than my bare hands). At that moment all I knew that he insulted my family, and I had to revenge for them. Guess I mistook him as the monster. But it didn't last for long, Nico had shadow traveled me away before I could do more damage, he even let me fight him to ease my anger. When we got back, the Ares boy was in the infirmary with his siblings guarding outside, and all the campers whispered and gossipped that I almost killed the boy.

At first, I thought they were just overreacting. Surely I - a merely trained new camper - could hardly even survive a fight with a skillfully trained Ares's son, let alone beating him. But everyone, even Dante, had confirmed that I did beat the life out of him. I was guilty for a moment before his words came back to me. Then he told me that I had been so angry that I was practically glowing! A pure silver glow covered me and for a moment everyone was too stunt to do anything but watching. They were scared of me, it was obviously a bless from my mother, the light, but they couldn't tell which Goddess she was. It confused people even more, some of them questioned if I was a Roman instead of a Greek.

I walked to the archery training field. No one was there to either judge or kill me, so I was free to do what I wanted. I grabbed my bow along with some arrows and started shooting. The sound of it made me relax, and without truly noticing I hit the bulleyes everytime. This could have awed me, since I was not the very best at archery, but then I was not in the mood. I lost my family, my home, found a possible new place to hopefully live again, and then screwed it up.

Great! It was just too great to be true! I had angered the God of War, and all I had to do then was waiting for him deciding which was the best way to end this pathetic life of a worm.

Oh, and what did I forget? Yeah, I would die without ever knowing who gave birth to me! By then I had known why she hadn't claimed me all this time. It was because I was a total failure, a shame in her life. Why had to claim the mistake that was me when she could spend time with her more awesome kids, who would go on quest, kill monsters, and die like true heroes, their names would forever ever after be sung at every ball held on Olympus? Yeah why did she had to claim me anyway? She didn't even want me in the first place.

"You should not have said so."

I didn't even bother to turn back, though I knew it was rude of me. But what? I was going to die! Let me be!

Another arrow hit bulleyes.

Chiron approached me, watching me hit bulleyes time after time. - "You are doing great, getting better and better." - He commented. I said nothing. A thick silence fell between us.

"You shouldn't be desperate, Arwen." - Chiron spoke up again - "There are always hopes. The gods have different opinions from us about a same thing. Maybe Ares is not that mad!"

"Or maybe he has enough mercy to end my life quickly." - I exclamied frustratedly. All of a sudden, tears started to stream down my face. - "I screwed everything up just after a week! A week! Someone at least please write it down on the record! My life is messed up! I don't want to be here! I don't want to be a demigod! I don't ask for anything of this!" - I screamed the last part before turning to small sob - "I want my dad and mom. I don't care whether she gave birth to me or not, she loved me more than my blood mother could have ever done!" - I struggled away from Chiron embrace. I didn't want his sympathy. I didn't NEED his sympathy! - "I don't care!" - I screamed to the thundering sky. - "I don't care if any of you exist or not! I want my life back! I want my family back!" - Thunder kept rumbling and the ground crumbled as if it wanted to swallow me. Fine! Bring it on! Chiron had taken a step back and the campers had gathered around to see what happened. Want a show? I would give them a _real _show!

Taking a deep breath, I shouted out loud what could probably be my last words. - "Hear this, mother, I wish I had never been born!"

A lightning bolt struck the ground, almost blasted me away, but I stood still. I knew who was this, and I was ready for what ever he planned for me. I was ready to reunite with my family.

There he stood, armed with every weapons I ever knew and lots more I had never seen before. His eyes, hidden behind a pit black sunglasses, looked at me as if he wanted nothing more than to fullfill my wish.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry for my disappearance, but the school work is really crazy! And then Mockingjay part 1... I really needed a few days to recover from the emotional breakdown because of the movie. It's insanely awesome, especially the part Katniss sang The Hanging Tree! Wow... Not to mention The Hobbit premiere... I think I'm a little bit obsessed with King Thranduil and Legolas now. Just a litlle though.  
**

**But anyway, I'm back, with no promises for frequently updating new chapters, because, sadly, I need to graduate from high school first! The first semester is coming to an end soon and I still can't choose any universities! But I do promise to finish this as soon as I can. **

**Enough for my rambling, back to the story guys! Where were we?**

* * *

I was such a lucky one then. My mother must have loved me _so much_!

"We meet again, Arwen Ravenwood." - Ares boomed so loudly that my ears hurt, maybe it was because I was a little too close to him.

"Have we met before?" - I winced, rubbing my ears - "Because I don't think I've met you before." - Much to everyone's horror, and to my ears' bad condition, Ares laughed. Seriously it sounded like a lion choking or something the same. But I decided to keep my mouth shut, for the hope that he would end me quickly.

"Unfortunately, yes." - The god replied, eyeing me from head to toe - "When you were just an infant. But since then I've know you will be such a pain in the ass, just like your mother. I told them to kill you, but they just had to ignore me." - I snorted. What a wonderful family I've got, then. - " '_Oh the mighty gods of Olympus, how could a child do any harm?_' - Ares started to walk around me, and by that time, I was practically frozen under his glare. - "They laughed. Little did they know, heh? I was right. Look at what you've done to my son!" - He screamed at my face. Oh dear, just end me quickly!

"He insulted my parents!" - I shot back. Couldn't help it. The way he talked as if his son were a god also, which I doubt he would ever be.

I should have known better than a shouting match with the God of War.

I flew across the training field, my check burned as if someone had set inferno on it. My left eye was totally out of order, half of my body felt totally numb, and it was just only one strike - one slap! I was already half dead, which was a good sign. I wouldn't have to suffer for long.

Ares grabbed my neck and lifted me up high, easily as if I were a mere paperdoll. - "So? He insulted yours parents? Or parent, may I ask? 'Cause the last time I check your mother is not the type to be with her only child 24/7." Once again I found myself fly across the field, only this time I landed on the spare bows and arrows. Not my type of a perfect landing. I tried to rolled myself out of the mess, but a sharp pain from the ribs stopped me. Out of the corner of my ony useful eye, I saw the campers and Chiron standing a far, scared of the scene in front of them.

A real show, on the second thought, I was wrong. It hurt like _hell. _I thought one of the arrow had stabbed as I landed on it. I could have suicide before Ares came...

Talk about the evil... He rolled me up with his vamp, watching me like a beast deciding which was the best way to play with his prey.

Just end it quickly. He wanted me to die and so did I. What took him so long?

"Funny" - Ares spoke up thoughtfully- "I had thought that at least she would come to watch you die, you are her only spawn after all. But maybe I was wrong. She is even emotionless than I could imagine, and I assure you, that's quite a big thing."

Gathering all my strength left, I grinned at him, _yeah I see your point there_. He frowned - "What? Don't even want to know the bitch who abandoned you?". I shook my head weakly, even though it caused my neck a throbbing pain. I had only _one_ mother, who had sacrified her life to protect me from a monster which obviously she coudn't beat. She _was _my mother, not the immortal being who was still unknown to mostly everyone.

Ares snorted, it seemed I've just ruined his show. - "Too bad, I had a perfect plan that can do both for us, you to die and I to have a good laugh. Too bad." - He shook his head, standing straight up, addressing the whole camp.

I closed my eyes. It hurt, hurt so much. Not only physically but also emotionally. I didn't lie when I admitted I didn't want to see who gave birth to me. I truly didn't want to. I missed my dad and my _mom_, Sandy. I called her mom without hesitating, and she'd called me her daughter even sweetlier than other mothers I've met. She'd taken care of me, listened to me... Only a mother did it to her daughter, right?

But did I really not want to know my blood mother? Sandy had said it was naturally for a child to keep looking for his/her real parents, even when he/she didn't really know so. Was it true that I had never stopped wondering who she was? Was it the reason for me to wake up every day waiting for something, _something_, like the smallest sign of her? The feeling of having someone, an adult, a relative, to always keep an eye on you, it was so endearing, although you never realised how much it meant to you once you lost it. Was it true that I've been waiting for her to reappear in my life all that time even I didn't know so? Had my dad been waiting with me? Had he ever hoped so?

A tear fell out of my eye. I would never have the answers for all of those questions, never. Ares would end his speech soon, and then my death would come. _Be optimistic, Arwen..., _my dad's voice whispered by my ears, _you soon will be okay..._ I bit my lips, trying to stop the tears streaming down. I didn't want the campers, or Ares to think that I was scared of death. I was, honestly, but not as the way most people were. I was scared of the questions I didn't have the answers yet.

_Maybe dad would tell_, a small voice reasoned, _you'll meet him anyway. And Sandy too. She would make you cookies..._

_Yeah,_ maybe.. I thought bitterly. Ares had turned to me, he had raised his hand up, but someone stopped him. The heroic Percy Jackson, I guessed. _Really?_ I wanted to ask him. I was already dying, I could tell that from the numb and cold feeling that was spreading over me. Why saved me? I did want to die. Didn't he have some other to save?

Their arguement faded away as my blood kept dripping out. The moon had risen high, staring at my show curiously. Suddenly I realised how much I would miss it, the cold distant moon.

"Goodbye." - I whispered - "I would miss you, moony."

I closed my eyes.

* * *

Whisper could be heard, although I had no idea what they were about. Had I arrived Hell yet?

I opened my eyes just to shut it immediately again. Too bright. Was Hell this bright?

"She's awake." - A female voice said, and a hand was put on my forehead. - "Can you hear me little one? Can you answer me? You can open your eyes now, we have turned off the light."

Slowly, I obeyed. A pair of grey eyes met mine. I groaned inwardly. I knew these eyes, and certainly she wasn't dead. So that meant I wasn't dead either. Was it so hard to kill me?

"You're awake" - Annabeth let out a breath of relief. - "We all thought it was too late. You lost so much blood, and Ares kept preventing us from saving you."

Why did you have to do that?

"You're such an idiot." - Percy sat down on my bed. Once again I found myself waking up at the infirmary. - "Why try suicide at thirteen huh? You never know what is waiting for you ahead. It could be a Great Prophecy, and it wasn't that bad to be honestly. Of course if you don't count..."

"Shut up Seaweed Brain." - Annabeth scolded her husband when she noticed my frown - "She is probably very tired now, and really, at 31, can you learn how to not rambling?" - Instead of answering his wife, the greatest hero of the history smiled sheepishly and handed her a glass of water. Then Annabeth lifted me up and helped me drink some.

I refused to.

"Oh c'mon." - She sighed, put the glass down. - "Honestly I don't understand why all demigods have to be so stubborn."

"So are you."

"I told you to shut up."

"Yes ma'am."

"What happened?" - I spoke up hoarsely, my throat burned making me regret refusing the water. But Annabeth, being Annabeth, gave it to me at once.

"Drink slowly." - She told me firmly - "And try not to choke while I retell you what happen." - I took a small sip, looking at her waiting - "You basically passed out while Percy here jumped out to stop Ares. They argued for a while, but then Ares, being an arrogant god he is, had to push Seaweed Brain away and kill you. But before his hand touched you, Ares was blown back. You were lifted up and covered in pure silver light, like the moon light. And then the sign appeared."

"Ares couldn't kill you anymore," - Percy continued - "A god can't kill another god's child, at least directly, once you are claimed. And you were. So the god disappeared after cursing a few unlucky campers."

I stared at them expectantly, but none continued. They avoided my eyes, as well as my unspoken question.

"Well?" - Finally I spoke up. - "Who?"

Annabeth gave a quick glance to Percy, who shook his head and shot her a look. She grimaced.

"That bad?" - I asked, looking down at my half finished glass of water. Suddenly I wanted Ares here to kill me again.

"Not really..." - Annabeth trailed off

"Yeah, can't be as bad as mine, right?" - Percy cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Just tell me, I can handle it." - I whispered, closing my eyes, just get it done.

A thick silence fell between us, until, when I thought I could just easily die again waiting for their answer, Annabeth spoke up - "It's Artemis."

I wished I'd misheard, but her voice, despite being small, is very clear to me.

"It can't be as bad as mine." - Percy shrugged. I shook my head. Of course, she was not one of the Big Three, just a goddess of the Hunt and the Wilderness, and goddess of Chastity and Maidenhood.

Oh, maidenhood, how ironic!


	7. Chapter 7

**I am so so sorry for disappearing for so long, but as much as I hate it, there's something called "life", which involves too much study and exams. I'm going to take the last exam on 1st of July, and after that I'd be free for a while to finish this story. Hope so. I only have time for this chapter because my teacher is too busy to teach us at the moment.  
**

* * *

Kyle came to help me to my new cabin a few days later, as my leg hadn't fully healed. It was quite late at night, and other campers all had other job to do rather than staring and gossiping behind my back. I had had enough of those while in the infirmary, and I wanted nothing else to do with them anymore. In fact, rather than Annabeth, Percy and Nico - who turned out to be a really good listener - Kyle was the only one I'd like to see. It felt good to be with someone who cared for you and didn't judge you for your origin.

Our little trip to Artemis cabin was much quicker than I expected. I stared at the wooden door with the moon symbol with dismay. It had been a while since the last visit of the Huntresses, and the cabin hadn't been occupied since. I wonder how cold and lonely it would be inside?

Kyle silently wrapped his arms around me, and I melted into his embrace. He was so warm, and the thought of leaving him was cold enough for me...

"Arwen," - The son of Hermes said gently - "Arwen, c'mon."

"I'm scared, Kyle." - I admitted before looking up at him. - "I'm scared. I don't even know what I am scared of anymore. There is so much happening at once and I don't know what to do." - My eyes started to water, and quickly I blinked them away. I had spent enough time crying my heart out.

"I know, and I'm sorry for you, little one." - Kyle said - "But here, look at thing now. You have a new home, you know of your mother now, and you have a bunch of cousins who love you and protect you..."

"Only you, Kyle." - I muttered, but Kyle waved it off. - "Bull shit! You know us Hermes like you. Dante is your friend now regardless of how many trees you have steppep on, and the Apollo cabin, they are very protective of you recently. You are not alone."

Everyone seemed to say so, to convince me or themselves, I didn't know. Annabeth, Percy, Nico, Will, and then Kyle. But only I accepted the truth that it was me who would have to sleep in that cold lonely cabin forever.

* * *

I rolled over on my bed for what like the thousand time, waiting for the sleep which I wasn't sure would come or not. It was midnight, and everything was strangely quiet. I didn't realized how familiar the snore of others in Hermes cabin was to me until now. Here I was completely alone, except for the rare time the Huntresses of Artemis decided to pay a visit. But they weren't here right now, and didn't seem to me they would come here soon, so, loneliness...

Deciding that more rolling would do nothing, I got up and started to explore the cabin - my cabin now. Almost every piece of furniture was covered with different shades of white and silver, making the room look like bathing in the moonlight. The floor was actually quite warm and comfy, and somehow it felt like I was standing bare feet on the forest ground. It took me a few minutes before I decided that the feeling was good. And then the stars... it was like the Great Hall of Hogwarts, everytime I looked up, a night sky full of stars would greet me. It looked so lively that I couldn't make out whether it was painting or magic. The same went to the pictures on the wall. Every inch or the cabin was covered in pictures, of Artemis and her Huntresses, animals, forests,... All in all, it looked beautiful, but it wasn't enough to shake off the loneliness creeping up my vein.

Sighing again, I gathered all blankets and pillows in the room to my bed to make myself a nest. Back at home, I would always do so when my parents weren't at home. It made me feel safe and warm, and I would pretend that we were watching a movie at late night...

I closed my eyes to stop the tears from coming out. It still hurt so much thinking of them and home. No matter how many time I reminded myself that this was my new home, I still couldn't shake the feeling that it was all so wrong...

The sleep eventually came, and I let myself flow away to the land of dreams.

* * *

My eyes was still close, but I could tell that the sun was up high and bathing me in its warm welcome light. Far away there were birds chirpping happily. I could tell the smell of rain in the air, it was so refreshing. And the soft ground was inviting me to lay down. Everything felt so peaceful, so...

"Amazing, isn't it?"

Startled, I turned back to face the new voice. It was a... boy? No, uhm... eh, how could a boy not be a boy, huh? I was being ridiculous again. But it couldn't be a boy...

As I was struggling with my vocabulary to find the true word, the stranger came and sat down next to me. The sunlight made his hair look royally golden. His eyes were like sparkling stars that held many wonder in the world, and his face, it was youthful yet old in a way, _ageless _I believed. If it hadn't been for his ears, I wouldn't have hesitated to call him an elf.

The stranger smiled as if he found my stare somewhat amusing. - "What? Couldn't remember your super hot uncle's name?"

My jaw dropped. Oops! Apollo. The god of sun. My uncle.

He looked at me, and his smile grew wilder into a big mega-bright grin. - "Finally! I would not believe that after all the books you have read you could easily forget my name. But," - He shrugged - " couldn't blame you either. All of my pictures are all so terrible, and the last time you saw me, you were still an infant. You surely can't remember, but I am the one who took you to your father that night."

"It's you?" - I repeated. And I've thought that it was my mother all the time...

"Yeah..." - Apollo's voice trailed off, and his smile gradually turned to a grim line. Suddenly I knew why we were here in my dream, but I was not sure if I was mentally ready to hear any shocking stories about my childhood anymore.

We sat there in silence for a while, both bracing up for what would eventually come next. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Apollo looked straight at my eyes.

"Arwen," - He called softly. - "Arwen, I know this is hard for you, and please know this is not easier for me, but someone has to do this, some one has to tell you the truth about everything. I am not sure if I can trust anyone, even my sister, you mother, to retell you..."

I nodded, swallowing a lump in my throat. There was no way back. The God of Sun took a deep breath and started to speak.

"Long before, Artemis, my sister decided to maitain her maidenhood forever. The decision was taken as offend to a lot of gods and goddesses, though they didn't say it out loud. Some had attempted to make her break her vow, but we got through it. After millenniums, you would think that everything is back to normal, but unfortunately, it's not."

"It was the night Olympus held the greatest ball to celebrate our victory of the Giant War. I didn't know when or how my sister disappeared of the crowd, but the next morning, she called for me, said it was emergency. When I arrived, I saw her with your father. She was scared, all three of us - your father being an intelligent man had somehow figured out who she was. Artemis remembered nothing of the night, and so she wanted to make sure no one would ever. She had wanted to kill your father."

_WHAT!?_

"I stopped her, of course. I don't want anymore bloodshed, especially of the innocent. So instead I made your father swear to never tell a soul of what happened. As for your mother, she believed she was under inluence of a powerful love spell, but of whom, she couldn't know for sure. So Artemis and I started to investigate. What we didn't expected that she became pregnant. Zeus must not know, so I took her to a hidden forest to stay, waiting for your birth.''

I bit my lips so as not to scream. My mother tried to kill my father. And I was the result of a one night stand caused by a powerful love spell... Life couldn't be any sucker! Apollo had turned away, as the memory clearly pained him.

"The day of your birth, I was faraway for my mission. As I heard of the news, I immediately came back, but I couldn't found neither of you. Artemis had disappeared, and I couldn't know for sure if she had taken any of you with her, so..."

"Wait!" - I stopped him, my eyes widened. "Any of you"? What? There were more 'me'? - "What did you say?"

Apollo looked at me with pity and pain. He took another deep breath and said - "Yes, you have a brother, a younger twin brother, Arwen."

I felt numb. Total numb. Completely numb.

"I followed her trait into the forest, but I've found only you. Artemis had left both of you there, but some one had come first and taken your brother away. I held you up, you were so small and beautiful, Arwen. And though I knew of the reason my sister had done so, I couldn't bring myself to leave such a wonderful creature to die in the forest. The council later had found out. They punished your mother, but not you, as every demigod's life is precious. I took you to your father house so that you could grow up as normally as possible, and I started to look for your brother. However, after 13 years, there was still no trait of him, nothing..." - His voice grew quiet, as the grave feeling was pulling him down. I stared at the god - my uncle. He was A GOD! How could he not find my brother? HE WAS A GOD!

"Why? You could have asked for Artemis! She is the Goddess of Hunting, she could..." - Before I could rambled more, I was cut short by Apollo.

"Arwen, don't you understand. Your mother left you alone in the forest to die. She doesn't want you." - He looked straight at me with incredibe sadness in his eyes - "It's been only me who looked after you all this time. Artemis never cared for her own children. I took you up because you are still my niece, my blood, and I love you equally as my children. The Apollo is your family now, not the Artemis. You will always have me take care of you, but for Artemis, I am afraid, would be never."


	8. Chapter 8

What was it like to finally find out your blood mother, only to know that she had never wanted you in this life?

It felt numb.

I played with my breakfast, chased them around the dish, and let Mike, Apollo's son, ramble on and on about what we should do today. I nodded politely and smiled at the right time, but that was all I could manage. After the talk with my uncle, I was, well, a little bit out of earth.

I had a younger brother. A younger twin brother who had been kidnapped since he was still an infant, by someone who was so powerful that even Apollo could not find out. Ever since I knew of this, my inner sibling instinct had kicked in, demanding to go and find him, wherever he was. But the god of sun had stopped me. No one else had known of his existence but Artemis, Apollo, the kidnapper and then me. He would like to keep it that way, so that there would be no more trouble with the Council.

That left me here in Camp Half Blood, with a mind that was far far away...

"You comin', Arwen?"

I was snapped out of my thought and stared at Mike and other children of Apollo. They were all looking at me with a mixture of curiosity and concern. Early this morning they had invited me to sit at the Apollo table from now on. It seemed to me my uncle was doing everything to show that his words were all true.

"Comin'!" - I replied quickly, trailing behind them. But as I walked by the Ares table, one of them sneered at me (couldn'treally blame them though)

"Still breathing huh, spawn?". The other Ares children smirked as those in Aphrodite table laughed their heads off. Honestly, what was so funny?

"Yeah, better than your brother." - Kyle walked up next to me and quickly drew me away before another fight started. Mike looked at the Hermes son disapprovingly.

"You have to admit," - Kyle said out loud for the other to hear - "Those in the Ares cabin have the worst line ever. They can't even crack a simple joke!" - This caused a small chuckle from me. Kyle winked then left for his siblings, leaving me under the stare of my cousins.

"What?" - I asked, feeling uncomfortable. - "Don't we have some where to go?"

A few of them chuckled and some shaking their heads, continued to lead the way. I fell into step with Jeanie, the loudest girl of Camp.

"Nice one you got there." - She winked and darted away, and once again I felt myself leaving behind and totally out of earth.

What?!

* * *

Other than a few incidents with the Ares cabin, and sometimes the Aphrodite, my life at Camp just went by like that. I woke up with Jeanie banging her fist on the door, screaming my name, then had breakfast. Sometimes I moved to the Hermes or Demeter table to eat, but mostly I still stayed with the Apollo. I sticked with them all day, as Apollo himself had directly asked so. But in the afternoon, when the training session was over, I hung out with Dante and Kyle. My circle of friends was still miserably limited, but at least they were true friends. And when the day was over, Kyle would walked me to my cabin and wished me goodnight, usually with a butterfly kiss on the forehead (under the careful watch of the Apollo cabin though, somehow Jeanie had convinced all of them that Kyle liked me. Ew! I swore the girl could gossip even more than Aphrodite daughters!)

It was uneventful, and I should feel grateful for that. Artemis (it was still hard to think of her as mother) had broken an ancient vow, therefore there would be consequence. Of course it would be me who had to suffer mostly (thanks Percy for advice) but so far we haven't learnt of any heartbreaking or world threatening prophecy yet. Not yet. However, instead of feeling grateful, all I could feel was anxiety. My brother was out there somewhere. He could be in danger and no one would know. What did he look like? Had I ever met him? Was there any chance for us to reunite? All of those questions kept popping up in my mind, but I could not share it with anyone. Not Chiron, not Mike, not even Dante and Kyle.

"Arwen?"

I looked up from the violin Jeanie gave me early morning, as she decided to see if I inherited any musical talents from my uncle. Dante was walking slowly to me - "Yeah?"

"Chiron said the Huntresses were coming this evening." - He sat down next to me. - "Hey, you can play violin?"

I smiled, that was what I like about Dante. He was always so calm, as if there were nothing that could make him angry. He could take the worst news and still act casually.

"Not really" - I winced - "Jeanie wanted me to try, see if I am truly niece of Apollo or not."

Dante actually laughed so hard that he dropped from the bench to the ground. I rolled my eyes, _boys._

"What's so funny there?" - Kyle popped up next to me and easily claimed Dante's spot.

"I told him Jeanie wanted me test if I am truly niece of Apollo or not." - I replied dryly, rolling my eyes (again) as Kyle rolled over Dante for another laughing session.

"Well, can't understand why." - Dante said from under the son of Hermes - "We all know how _truly_ a niece of Apollo you are after that haiku you made." At this point Kyle was shaking uncontrolably with silent laughter on the ground. Kicking him away, Dante climbed back to sit next to me, a wide grin still appeared on his face.

A few days ago the campers suddenly held a haiku competition to honor Apollo, though the actual reason was because Mr.D was having a headache and didn't want to hear any campfire songs. Needless to say, I'm the worst of all. At least then they called me Niece of Apollo instead of Daughter of Artemis.

"Hey" - Dante nudged me - "You're okay?" - He made a quick glance to my cabin so that I understood what he meant. I shrugged. _Why not?_

"At least I'm not alone in that cabin anymore." - I said - "Beside, I got to meet Thalia, daughter of Zeus. Isn't it cool?"

Dante shrugged, and together (Kyle was dragged away by one of his sister) we watched the sunset, bracing ourselves for the Huntresses' visit.

* * *

Glances and whispers once again were directed to me.

"Don't they have something else to do?" - Jeanie grumbled, glaring as we walked by a group of girls.

"Let them be Jeanie." - I told her - "They don't bother me as much as before?"

"You sure?"

We walked to the dining hall and saw Chiron talking with a black haired girl. I recognized her immediately, Thalia Grace. Her picture was what greeted me every morning since the day I slept at Artemis cabin. She looked up and met my gaze. A moment of criticism, and a nod of acknowledge.

"Not so bad, huh?" - Jeanie whispered to me. - "You have to sit with them tonight, sorry about that. And good luck."

"Thanks." - I whispered back. I would need lots of luck tonight.

Campers filled in the hall as I walked up to m table with the slowest speed I've ever done. But I came eventually. Some Huntresses looked at me, some nodded like Thalia, but most ignored me.

Great. Just like Artemis herself.

Dinner slowly got by in the awkward silence, at least at my table. I sat at the edge, in case whatever happened I could jump to Demeter's or duck under the table. Sometimes I felt an intense gaze that only a certain daughter of Zeus could give on me, but I decided to ignore it and tried my best to finish my dinner as quickly as possible.

After another eternity of my life, dinner was over. As I began to make my way to the campfire, a Huntress held me back.

"Let her go." - Thalia spoke up before I could say anything.

"But the Lady said..."

"The Lady is not here and I am in charge." - The daughter of Zeus smoothly cut her words - "Now let the girl go. I would like to talk with her privately first. You can go back to the cabin and rest for now." - They obeyed her without another question, and Thalia gestured me to follow her outside, into the wood.

As soon as she was sure we are totally alone, she sat down on a rock and patted on the ground.

"Here." - Thalia said - "Come here and take a seat. I'm not going to eat you."

Cautiously, I sat down next to her. Thalia still stared at me, as if she was searching for something. I stared awkwardly down at my feet.

"What have you known so far?" - Thalia suddenly asked.

I looked up and met her gaze once again. _Be careful..._ Apollo's word once again rang in my ears. I chewed my bottom líp carefully before replying.

"Nothing much. That I am the result of a one night stand caused by a powerful love spell, that Artemis abandoned me to die in the forest and that it was mostly thank to my uncle that I am still alive today." - I paused - "Yeah, nothing much."

"You didn't call her mother." - Thalia simply stated.

"Should I?" - I closed my eyes, tried to calm the storm forming inside me. There was silence, and then...

"No." - I glanced at Thalia, startle by her word - "No, you shouldn't call her mother." - She said casually - "The Lady wanted nothing more to do with you, and she wanted you to understand that."

"It seems I have to thank my uncle again." - I mumbled, remembering that how hard Apollo had to make his sister claim me. I stood up and walked away.

"But it doesn't mean she is right."

I stopped, but didn't turn around. Thalia slowly walked up next to me.

" I understand the price of family Arwen Ravenwood." - She said carefully. - "More than anyone. And if there were anything I could do to help you, I would like to." -She took my hand, and still carefully as if she was approaching a wild beast, wrapped her arms around me. - "I understand what's like to be ignored, to be a unwanted spawn, a mistake of the fate. I understand, Arwen. And I want you to know that you have at least an ally within the Huntresses." - She looked straight into my eyes - "You are my niece as well."


	9. Chapter 9

Night has fallen. The soft breath of the Huntresses was the only thing I could hear, they were all asleep. It was very late already and though I knew I should get some sleep, there was something, like a _very very bad_ feeling that I couldn't put my finger on, that kept me awake.

It had nothing to do with what the Huntresses had told me earlier, because the fact that Artemis wanted nothing more to do with me was known by the whole universe even before I was born. _Since we were born_, a small voice in my head corrected me. I bit my lower lip. My brother... Had he known that I was alive and thinking about him? Was he thinking about me as well? Wait, did he even know that he hed a sister?

So I just laid there, held an intense staring contest with the ceiling. It was only two o'clock! I would have to lay here about 4 more hours? It would kill me. I took a sharp breath impatiently and got up, intended to go out for some fresh air.

I should have thought twice about getting up in a cabin full of immortal Huntresses.

A pillow made it way from the other side of the cabin to my face with a force so strong that it knocked me out of bed. I landed on my butt, expecting to feel the wooden floor, but instead, I could feel the cold ground.

This was not my cabin floor at all.

A wild shriek caused me jump off the ground. My heart was racing..._Where the Hades am I?_ I appeared to be deep in a strange forest which I've never seen before. Panic started to kick in... _please say this is a dream, please say this is a dream..._ I mumbled, running around, trying to find a way out... There were heavy footsteps coming closer... _Please not a monster..._ I stumbled and fell down. Sheet! Not time for stupid falling again! Why did I keep falling when I needed to run away the most? As I tried to get up on my feet, a figure came to my view

It was bout human size..._So are empousais..._ Tall, lean... _Doesn't prove anything..._ Injured, I could tell, its left leg was shot, blood was pouring out... _Holding a sword..._ Okay, so my bow and arrows... Were not here! Once again panic kicked in... _Keep your head down and pray that whatever it is it doesn't see you... _I hid myself behind a fallen tree as the figure came closer, heading straight to me! Oh c'mon! The freezing wind came up from nowhere, chasing the cloud away, revealing the shining moon, and I gasped.

Not a monster (thank gods) but a boy, who was just about the same age as me. But that was not what I gasped for. His hair, blonde, almost silver under the moonlight, was exactly the same as mine. _I know him. I have to know him! I know him!_ My head screamed... _I must have seen him before. I know him!_ But who was he?! My mind was racing for answer. _I know him I know him I know him..._

Another shriek teared through the silent forest. The boy jumped and winced, looked back, and with a determined look in his eyes, ran away.

_He didn't see me..._

Another shriek, but this time, it was closer, close enough for me to make out what it said, and to make me chill.

"I WILL FiND YOU, YOU FiLTHY LITTLE THIEF! I WILL FIND YOU AND BURN YOU ALIVE!"

* * *

My ears were ringing because of a wild scream, and it took me a few good minutes to realize it was from me.

"Arwen! Arwen!" - A voice shouted my name - "Open your eyes! Arwen!"

_I can't... I wish I could but I can't..._

"Arwen!"

A slap landed on my cheek, and it burned! My eyes flew open and met a pair of concerning blue eyes.

"Breathe, little one!" - Thalia soothed, wrapping a blanket around me. I didn't realize I was shivering until then. I took another deep breath. The whole cabin was awake, all stared at me in scare, as if I had turned into a monster.

"Wha... What happened?" - I managed to ask, my throat felt sore because of screaming. - "I... I got up... Fell... What happened? I was in a forest... I didn't know where..." - I looked to Thalia and other Huntresses, all avoiding my eyes. - "I saw a boy. I know him but I can't remember... And screams... Thalia what was going on?"

The daughter of Zeus exchanged a meaningful look with one of her Huntress befor turning to me. Her voice was grim. - " I can not answer right now, little one. But I know that something terribly, terribly wrong had happened."

* * *

It was way too early in the morning for anyone to wake up, of course, with the exception of the Huntresses, Chiron, and me. We all sat in the Big House as I retold my dream, which until then I still did not know how on earth it could be reason of the Huntresses' worry.

"...And then I woke up." - I finnished. All the Huntresses looked worried even more than before, and Chiron stood up, slowly walking around to think.

It made me feel like I had done something wrong again. The problem was no one seemed to know what exactly I had done, including me. I looked around at all the worried faces, fighting down the urge to run into the forest and curl up like a ball. What had I done? Had the fate finally caught up with me then?

_Not time for pessimistic thought, _I scolded myself, so instead, I closed my eyes and tried to remember the mysterious boy's face.

He looked so familiar that it felt like a crime not regconizing him. So familiar... I knew that hair, and those eyes...

Suddenly it struck me. And all that time I had been wondering... I knew him. I knew him all along. He was the closest thing I ever had since the begining. He was the question that had been haunting me for so long...

He was my brother. My twin brother. He had to be.

I found him. I had found him. He was alive! My brother was alive! And,... And he was injured.. He was being threatened... My brother was in danger! I had to tell Chiron, Mr.D, anyone... My uncle! Apollo must know this, he could help me find him wherever he was. Someone had to go out and take him back here in Camp Half Blood... And that someone must be...me.

I had to find my brother.

Abruptly, I stood up. Evreybody in th Big House had run outside already. How did I not know this? Frowning, I walked out, slowly and carefully. _Beware..._ Apollo's voice once again ramg in my ears, and cautiously, I opened the door.

Of all the things I expected to see, my mother in a form of a sixteen years old girl who was fuming was not one of them.

Oh sweet lord, what would come up next!?

All the Huntresses were kneeling and all appeared to be feared. So were Chiron and Artemis herself. Nope, I would never say a word about my brother in front of my so called mother. Not a chance. She didn't want us in the first place! I turned around, ready to disappear out of her sight, just as exactly what she wanted. And another unexpected thing appeared to block my runaway, or I should say, another unexpected god. I rolled my eyes and bit back a sigh.

"Hello uncle!" - I whispered - "Can you let me go now before Artemis decides to blow me up?"

"I'm afraid I can't, my little one." - He gave me a sad smile - "It's time for mother and daughter reunion. But I am always here to patch you up."

He guided me, or rather dragged me to where Artemis was standing. Her face was impassive, and I wished I could shrink to the size of an ant and hid behind my uncle. He pushed me forward a little, Artemis's face remained unchanged.

"Sister," - Apollo said in a bitter voice - "Meet your daughter, Arwen Ravenwood. She is destined to be the one to go on this quest for you."

What the Hades? What quest?

I looked at him in disbelief and turned to Artemis, expecting her to laugh her head off and say this was all a joke. But no, she just nodded and looked straight into my eyes. Her eyes stared deep into my soul with a storm of emotions that I couldn't name.


	10. Chapter 10

So, it was official, I met the one who gave birth to me, eventually, under a circumstance that I was sure nobody fancied of. At least with demigods.

A quest. A deadly one.

_"Can't be as bad as mine." -_ Percy's voice rang in my head. _Yeah, thanks. But it wouldn't be easy, either, right?_

"... for 13 years since the Giant War, this is the most dangerous quest." - Chiron confirmed my thought, and I had to fight back the urge to roll my eyes as Apollo shot me a warning glance. - "Of course, traditionally and as Rachel had said, Arwen can pick two other campers to accompany her." - The centaur continued. - "And I do hope you pick wisely, because this can influence greatly on the result, as well as your future."

I bit my lips to stop myself from groaning out loud. It's just brilliant! Honestly! Great! The best family reunion ever! You met your blood mother for the first time in your life and a deadly quest was thrown right at your face! Not to mention the _said_ mother hadn't spoken a word to you since she saw your face. Wonderful!

I sneaked a glance to where Artemis was standing, her back to us, as if she heard nothing, just a mere statue that was placed there purely for decorating purpose. Her Huntresses had left early, leaving her behind to deal with _family stuff, _as Thalia had nicely put it in. So far, no word had been spoken between us, after that intense stare of her, which was only broken because Apollo pulled me away. I still had no idea what she had looked for in my eyes.

I glanced back to the God of Sun, who were talking in a low voice with Chiron. I bit back another sigh. How long would I have to wait to tell him about my brother? Gods, he was in a grave danger! All I wanted to do right then was head straight outside and call the whole camp (okay maybe not whole) searching for him. Gods I didn't even know his name yet! Oh how much I wanted to scream! This whole nonsense finding Artemis's stolen bow could be saved for later...

_"You say what!?"_

I almost jumped out of my skin. Thank Gods that neither Apollo nor Chiron noticed it, since they were in a deep conversation. I looked around to find the source of the mysterious voice in my head. Or precisely, to avoid the obvious source.

"_Well? Wanna repeat what you've just said?"_

I bit back a rude retort, refusing looking at her. Nope, I was never going to share anything, especially about my brother, with the so called mother over there.

_"It is rude invading people's thought. Didn't your mother taught you?" - _I thought, hoping Artemis could catch up the amount of venom I put in.

A deadly silence. Well, at least between us. Then...

"Chiron." - The verbal conversation at the other side of the desk was cut smoothly by a low dangerous tone - "Would you mind leaving us alone? I would like a few words with my..." - She paused, considering - "... relatives."

"Of course." - The old centaur replied and left behind a thick, almost visible silence. Apollo glared intensely at his sister's back, and judging purely on the murderous look he wore, the god didn't like the sound of the "relatives" word a bit. I myself didn't mind.

So... we just kinda sat there, Artemis looked outside the window, Apollo glared at her back, and I stared at both of them. Just it.

The clock was tickling, and none had spoken. Not me, obviously, despite my desire to point out to both of them that there were only two immortal beings in this very room. My time was running out, so was my brother's...

"Stop mentioning _it_!" -Suddenly Artemis spatted, glaring dagger at me. Apollo quirked an eyebrow up, and no doubt, searched in my head for the answer instead of asking.

I glared back at her, playing back the image of my brother's eyes in my head. How ironic that his eyes were exact the same as hers... I mused with the thought, which clearly annoyed Artemis to a whole new level, and entertained me like never before...

"Arwen. Enough." - Apollo said firmly, but gently nonetheless. I obeyed, not wanting to upset my uncle, but the image stuck. His eyes got clearer and clearer though I tried to shake it away. And suddenly I could feel the pain in my left leg, and the exhaution...

"Arwen!"

Opening my eyes (I didn't even know I closed them), I gasped, meeting a pair of concerning blue eyes, and another pair of blue steel. That was when I realized that I was laying on the ground. Apollo helped me up, his eyebrows knitted in worry.

"Arwen, what happened? Why did you collapse?" - He asked, rubbing my arms. I blinked at him, didn't he feel it? A small shake of his head, and a glance toward the figure behind me.

Artemis had stood up straight again. It was hard to ever think that she wound bend down at my limp body at any chance, but she did. However, it proved nothing, as her cold blue eyes were back the same, swirling with unrecognized emotions. I turned away, shutting the bitter wave inside me. I didn't mind Apollo reading my thought, but Artemis... let alone sharing the feeling with me. _My brother's feeling of all thing. _The unwanted child that she had just addressed by _it._ It felt like she had not only invaded a part of me, but also insulted it, simply by existing. I swallowed hard, tried to sink all my pessimistic feeling down somewhere in Tartarus.

"Stop it!" - She hissed. I didn't spare a glance at her.

_Whatever._

The look Artemis shot was enough an evidence how much she _loved_ me, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Apollo sighed deeply, looking at both of us before addressing me softly (why me?)

"Stop driving your mother insane, little one."

Immediately...

"Stop referring me as a mother."

"She is not my mother."

Both of us spoke as once, glaring dagger at the other. The god of sun sighed again, a look of defeated on his youthful face.

"Whatever you say." - He mumbled, sinking into the chair next to me, summoning a whole bottle of scotch. Immediately I felt sorry for him, suffering not only his stubborn sister but also me.

"I'm sorry uncle." - I mumbled, sat down next to him. - "I didn't mean to upset you." Apollo closed his eyes, as if he was exhausted, and took a deep breath.

"Artemis," - He spoke up after a while - "Arwen," - He gave me a small tired smile. - "Please, for the sake of my sanity, _please._ Can we sit down and at least have a proper conversation without trying to end the other's life? It doesn't have to last very long, just until we figure out what to do about this quest and your brother." - He ignored the hateful hiss from Artemis - "The moment we finish Artemis can go anywhere she wants and do whatever she likes, and Arwen can start her quest, or whatever." - The god added, seeing my reaction. - "Does that sound good enough to both of you?"

I nodded at once. It sounded _perfect._ I looked to the goddess. She sighed. - "The sooner the better."

"Alright." - Apollo took a large sip of his scotch before continueing - "So,..."

"The quest is inevitable." - Artemis said without looking at me - " It has to be done as soon as possible. My bow has gone missing, and soon enough my enemies will know about this. Without the power of the bow, it will be harder for me to fight them back to Tartarus. People will die."

I fought back the urge to ask about her other bows. Please, she was a goddess, why would she only have a bow? That sounded stupid, even for a mortal, let alone a goddess. I rolled my eyes instead. Apollo sighed, again.

"Okay, and then the matter of Arwen's twin brother..."

Artemis looked so murderous at that mere mention that for a moment I thanked whatever power for letting Apollo to stay with me today.

"What about it?" - She grumbled.

_Duh, _the arrogant stupid wanna suicide me screamed, _nothing! Just my brother, the one you left to dead in the forest with me 13 years ago! Sound familiar?_

She threw me a dirty look but didn't said anything. Apollo just ignored that little exchange. I guessed it was fine as long as we didn't actually try to kill the other.

"Clearly there's a link between him and Arwen." - He continued as if he wasn't rudely interrupted. - "As far as we have known, the boy is in serious danger, being chased by whatever it is and being injured. Good thing is we know what he looked like, but bad thing is we don't know of his location. Arwen, can you activate your shared link to find him?"

I was confused. So far there were only two times the link was activated, and I didn't even understand how. Artemis clicked her toungue, shaking her head.

"Think, idiot." - She spat - "Concentrate. What remind you of him?"

_You._ The answer came up before I could react. The thought made me want to vomit, but it was. They shared the same eyes, blue as clear sky, while I had dad's, brown, like earth.

"Think. What else?"

His eyes. Okay. Hair. Blonde, _even more than mine,_ turned sliver while under moonlight. It was quite long, but I liked it that way. The way he held his sword kinda reminded me of Jace from The Mortal Instrument.

"Good. Now imagine. What would you do if you were him?"

Run, obviously. But the injured leg could cause a problem. The forest was dark and full of fallen trees, so he might hide under one...

_...Then he pulled out another dagger, ready for the attack. But it never came. The chaser had disappeared. It was until then that he dared to breath. It was so closed, he could have died. He climbed out of the hole, exhausted, and laid on the ground. He needed to catch his breath first before running. The wound was deep, but he would live, he thought..._

"Location, focus on. Look anywhere for anything."

_... He sighed after taking care of the wound. It hurt so much. He glanced up the sky. Full moon, clear sky. He could also see the stars. Good, they would help him find the way home..._

"I know it! I know!" - I gasped. - "I know where he was. We could find those stars and we'll find his previous location. Perhaps then we can trace him and help him on time!" - I grinned, looking around, but it soon faltered as I saw the grim look on both Apollo and Artemis's faces. - "What? We will find him, right? I can trace. I swear. I can go alone. You don't have to go with me..." - My voice died out as Apollo stood up and walked away, his back turned to me. Artemis looked at me with something almost as pity in her eyes.

"What?" - I pleaded - "What's wrong?" - What did they know that I didn't? What happened to my brother? He was alive, wasn't he? My heart was racing._ He had to live. HE HAD TO. _

The sound of glass shattering caused me jump up, Apollo had thrown away his bottle. He sunk down the floor, his face in his hands. _What have I done wrong again? Please tell me. Please. What have I done wrong. I have promised...!_

Tears was filling up my eyes, and for the first time in my life, I felt too scared to even breath.

_What happened?..._

_Please. Please tell me. _

_What. Happened?  
_

A pair of strong arms turned me around, and one more time, I found myself stared into the cold blue eyes.

"I know where it is, I know that place." - She said, eyes were searching, waiting - "It's up in the north, and it is where I was last night." - She paused - "The night my bow was stolen. The same exact place."

I could see what she was saying, I could connect the dots together. Apollo had found out, so had Artemis. There was only me left.

"No."

"There's only one way to clarify this, Arwen. You have to do this. Look into his mind again. Do it. Is there a bow Arwen? Silver, shinning one? Are there any bows? Do you see any bows Arwen?"

..._The chaser had gone, clearly to fetch up her minions. He glanced around, a smirk creeped up his face. He reached to his bag, his grin widened, and pulled out something long, wrapped in cloth..._

"What is it, Arwen? Tell me. WHAT!?"

..._There it was, in his hand, the long silver bow, shining, humming as his fingers ran on it. The bow. The one and only ever existed. Artemis's bow. A giggle escaped his throat. He couldn't help it. He stole a bow of a goddess. The giggle was unstopable, and soon enough, he was laying on the groung laughing like maniac._

Artemis let go of me, her eyes were void of emotion. Breathing was suddenly so difficult.

"How?" - Apollo spoke up, his voice hoarse. - "How could he...? The bow can only be touched by you. You only."

Artemis still stared at me with her emotionless eyes. _Say something. React. DO SOMETHING._

She closed her eyes and turned away from both her brother and me. Her voice, however low, just above a whisper, war clear to both of us.

"He has my blood, Apollo. It runs in his vein. He can touch and use it just like I do."

A cold shiver ran down my spine, my whole body was shaking violently, like it was no longer under my control.

"_I WIL FIND YOU, YOU FILTHY LITTLE THIEF! I WILL FIND YOU AND BURN YOU ALIVE!"_

Not only did I have to find and bring back Artemis's stolen bow but also I had to protect my brother from her wrath.

I would do it. And I would make it.

I looked up, and met the cold stare of Artemis. I knew she heard it.

I would not back down.

* * *

**Phew... I think this chapter is the longest I've written. It was so difficult to write mother and daughter reunion. I had to rewrite three times and this is the best I could get. Hope you all like it! Please tell me of your opinion so that I could make the story better.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	11. Chapter 11

I picked up a sharp dagger, testing its weight while Rachel was fussing over my bag, adding every now and then a new shirt or some nectar. We were in the weapon chamber, looking for the perfect weapon for me to use in this quest, also, the weapon that would stick with me for the rest of my life. Rachel was helping me this time, since she was already 31, quite experienced in this kind of quest (she gave the prophecy anyway) and also because she was unofficially the mother hen of Camp.

"You'll be heading south, the weather is quite warm so you don't really have to bring any jackets. I recommend you wear Calypso's armor. It's light, easy to move in, and extremely fashionable..."

"It's okay Rachel, I can handle those." - I said for the thousandth time in the morning.

"I doubt so." - The Oracle replied without turning back to look at me. - "I've been dealing with you demigods for as long as I can remember and except Annabeth, and maybe Reyna from the Roman, none of you ever prepared anything correctly. You come back injured and wounded or poisoned and it is only me fussing over you because Will the Doctor is too busy with his boyfriend Nico..." - She took a deep breath, and I took a moment to be amazed of her rambling speed. - "Sorry, it's just..." - Rachel sighed, folding another shirt absent-mindedly - "It's been quite a long time since a big prophecy came up. And usually they don't end very well. People tend to forget the price we have to pay and just look at the victory we achieve."

I put the dagger down, feeling a pit inside my stomach. It's been quite a long time since any god break a vow on River Styx. 31 years to be exact. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I could do it, for not only my brother, but also my father and mother Sandy.

I knew that I could.

"Why am I still here? I need to go fetch the boys. They always take so long." - Rachel's voice once again rang in my ears, it sounded so different when she spoke of the prophecy - less creepy and easier to make out what she said. I heard the door open and closed.

I sat down on the floor, feeling hopeless. My trusted bow was only used for practice, it was not the type you carried around killing monsters. But so far, that, and the wooden sword, were what I was familiar with.

I skimmed through the chamber one more time, still nothing caught my eyes. Thinking about my brother, I realized that he got a real Celestial bronze sword, and also a pair of daggers. I was not sure what it was made of. Only if I had those...

_...Or if I had a guardian god that could give me those..._

I grimaced immediately. The "family reunion" ended quite badly, and that was an understatement. Both Apollo and Artemis had stormed off different ways after an intense shouting match leaving me speechless and half deaf. I was not sure if they would ever talk to each other again, and how long it would take them - _cough_, my uncle only, _cough_ \- to calm down. Gods could stay pissed off for half a century, that I was already informed.

I picked up another random sword. No magical feeling, no firework shot from it.

Nope, just another heavy sword.

I threw it back in dismay at the same time the door banged open, revealing a strange adult and Vanessa, a daughter of Hephaestus. The man gasped dramatically, and the girl stared at me with ridiculously wide eyes.

Err,... I grimaced. _Not again._

"Young lady!" - The tall man exclaimed. He got tanned skin and not so muscular, and the most tangled hair I've ever seen - "What the Hades have you done with the baby?!"

What _baby_!?

"_That baby_! Surely you're not blind aren't you?" - He pulled his hair and started to jump up and down dramatically. - "I've gone for three months! THREE MONTHS! Look what they've taught to new campers! Absolute no respect to weapons! Vanilla! Has the world gone mad!?"

Clearly the world hadn't gone mad, but he probably had...

"Valdez, for Gods' sake, get out of my way." - Rachel showed up like a savior, all bossy and glorious. Trailing behind her were my two best friend and companions, Kyle and Dante. I had chosen them to go with me this time.

Like the golden trio, Harry, Ron and Hermione. They had better ending than the Hunger Games trio, though Katniss was more me, with bow and arrows.

"She threw a sword away! A sword! Rachel Dare do you hear me? Your new camper threw a sword away! And what is she doing here anyway? And the boys? What? Another quest? Another prophecy? What do the Gods think? They are just CHILDREN!" - He practically screamed at Rachel, who seemed to be completely unfazed by him and still giving order to Dante. Kyle, however, seemed to be insulted by being called a child.

"Excuse me sir, but I am already sixteen, and Dante and Arwen here are both thirteen. Percy Jackson killed his first monster at the age of twelve. I don't see how we are still children..."

"First of all," - The mad man turned to Kyle. Give me some popcorn and I could watch this all day. - "thank you for calling me sir. Second, don't Percy this Percy that to me, that damn son of Poseidon is still owning me a vacation in Hawaii. Third, he is a child of the Big Three, he was supposed to do so! Forth, you're younger than me..."

"Not very much younger than you when you're off to save Hera." - Rachel cut in, threw Kyle a bag and shoo him out of her way. The Oracle glared at the man who was pouting furiously. How he managed to make such a cute action to a scary one was a mystery to me, one I definitely had to find out. - "That you're going to be a father in a few weeks to come does not give you a right for you to see everyone younger than you as children. These boys are capable of defending and killing monsters, and this lady over there is the center of attention this year, mind you. Arwen, daughter of Artemis, come meet Leo Valdez, son of Hephaestus, one of the Seven."

That did explained his craziness, I thought. One did not simply die and come back to life normal.

It didn't stop him glaring at me though.

"It doesn't give you the right to throw a baby away like that." - He said finally.

Now that I knew he was the son of Hephaestus, I could understand why he reacted so dramactically over a simple sword. Just imagine I threw something like, I didn't know, maybe a hammer?

Better not try it then.

"I'm looking for a weapon, but I can't find a suitable one." - I sighed heavily. It was as if I said some magic words. Leo's face immediately brightened up and a wide grin bloming its way on his face.

"Why didn't you say earlier? C'mere. Valdez the Awesomest will help you out. C'mere!"

He changed from a grown up pouting man to a gleefully child in Disneyland in just a blink, leaving Dante, Kyle and me in utter shock. In the wave of sudden happiness, he dragged all three of us into the forest. I shot a glance of horror to Dante, the calmest of all. He shrugged.

"That's Valdez we are talking about." - The son of Demeter said simply, as if it explained everything, which Leo agreed wholeheartedly.

"That's right. Trust me! Uncle Valdez will make you the most mighty weapon of all the time. Have I ever let anyone down?"

The question was left with no answer, as we stopped in front of Bunker 9. The holly place of Hephaestus children. Alright...

"C'mere! C'mon guys, and girl! Hurry up!" - He called from inside, turning up the light. - "Close the door please!"

Kyle came in last, closing the door behind. The Bunker was _huge._ Very, very huge. I stared at all the machines and all the stuff in awe.

"Don't touch anything." - Came the warning sing-song voice of Leo. He waved us to a table - "You guys are perfectly in time to test my new inventions." - He grinned, eyes practically twinkling with mischief. Dante looked cautious, as always, even took a step back. But as I looked to Kyle, I saw the same glee of mischief in his eyes.

Such a typical son of Hermes.

"Let's get this over." - I mumbled in my breath as Leo dropped a heavy trunk on the table. I could hear its whining under the weight, and obviously I was not the only one. Leo shooed the table.

"It'll be fine. Daddy don't like whining. We have guests."

It did stop. I noted to myself to check on all my funitures at cabin to see if they could understand me or not.

Dust flew up causing us to cough as Leo opened up the trunk. He grinned guiltily.

"Sorry. Callie used to keep this place clean, but since she is pregnant it's better that she stays at home."

He ducked in the mess inside the trunk. I stood on my toe to have a better look at it. Dante, still very cautiously, took a step forward. However, Kyle practically jumped next to Leo to drool over whatever it was. I could never understand a thing he kept here anyway.

"Can I have one of this?" - The son of Hermes pulled out something look suspiciously like a very big gun. But before I could voice my thought, it was taken back by Leo.

"Not for you. It's for Jason's son next birthday."

"You give a child a fire gun on his birthday?"

"Keen eyes, son of Demeter. And yes, he is the son of Jason Freaking Grace. Just don't tell his mom and we'll be fine."

I had a feeling that Piper the Beauty Queen would not like this a bit.

"What's this?" - I pointed at a ring. It looked so out of place here. - "It's not normal ring, right?"

"Oh, that?"- Leo picked the ring up and gave it to me. - "Keep it if you want. It's a shield. You turn it like this," - He put it on his finger and demostrated, a shield turn up. - "Mixture of Celestial Bronze, Imperial Gold and Stygian Bone, mostly everything-proof. I said mostly because I haven't done testing, should have called Annabeth but she was too busy. Keep it." - He threw me the ring without looking.

"Anything for me?" - Kyle asked excitedly, and Dante carefully sneaked a glance over Leo's shoulder to see inside the trunk. Leo gave him a double look.

"Dude! What am I? Genie in the bottle? No. I'm Leo Valdez! Ask nicely or you have nothing."

Kyle smiled sheepishly while Dante and I shared a knowing smirk.

"Alright. Jeez. You sons of Hermes are all so impatient." - Leo clicked his tounge playfully. - "Now your turn. Super gloves. Catch."

Kyle caught the gloves mid-air, staring at it doubtfully. - "What can they do?"

"I don't know. Theoretically they help you climb wall. But then again, should have called Annabeth."

"So I can climb like Spiderman." - Kyle stated. Leo nodded. - "Theoretically, yes."

"Cool."

"And you, son of Demeter." - Leo smiled broadly - "Christmas is coming early for you. Remember to tell your mother that please stop sending us cereal and I will forever be thankful."

Dante, for the first time since I've known him, smiled wickedly in return. - "I will."

I doubt it.

Dante had a watch which looked like one inspired by the Hunger Games. It could do a lot of things. Leo started to explain in a completely foreign language to me, and I dozed off, not really interesting a bit in the world of mad inventor. In the end, after the longest instrution I've heard in my life, Leo added.

"It also has a small rocket, in case things turn ugly. You'll never know."

"What!?" - And came the sound of about 70kg of flesh and bone dropping from the ceiling. - "I'm okay. But I want rocket!"

Leo chuckled, closing his trunk. Dante had found himself a stable chair and started to examine his watch again, this time, with Kyle hovering above him, whining why he didn't have the cool stuff.

Which reminded me...

"I haven't got a weapon." - I turned to Leo, said. He was smiling at me. - "Thought you never ask. Here." - He walked deeper in the bunker. Glancing at my two friend, who were still busy with the watch, I followed Leo. It was not like he was a monster, wasn't it?

But still, I wondered why he was so nice with us. Surely he remembered Dante and Kyle, having met them a few times. But me?

I shrugged the nonsense worry away.

We came to a corner filled with deadly weapons, and I meant it. They all looked deadly.

"You have a lot of weapons." - I commented. Leo gave me a friendly smile.

"Relax. Those are for demigods who go on quests like this. You're lucky I came back in time, or you will have to use those back in the weapon chamber. They are not always in the best state, you know."

"You said quests like this" - I asked, a bad feeling rose in my stomach - "What do you mean?"

Leo stayed silent, kept searching for something. I waited patiently for his answer. He came back, holding a crossbow.

"Maybe not this." - He mumbled, more to himself than to me, turning back.

"What 'quests like this' are you talking about?" - I repeated, this time more impatiently. I needed to know everything possible. I didn't simply going to find a bow for Artemis. I also went to save my brother and take him back here in Camp Half-Blood. It was not an easy quest, I had known since the beginning.

"Punishment, of course. What else?" - He suddenly shot back, his back facing me. - "Punishment for our parents' mistakes. Fate has a funny sense of humor." - He said bitterly. - "Why do you think we are the Seven? People say it like something to be proud of, but everytime I hear the word, I see my mother dying, my friends hurting, falling to Tartarus. I see the face of Gaea. We don't choose this, not us, not you. We have done nothing wrong, yet the fate and the gods never truly let us go." - He pause, taking a deep breath. I swallowed, afraid to speak up. He was right, we had done nothing wrong...

...but being born. Could it be a crime?

"Sorry." - He turned around facing me, this time, the smile had come back on his face. - "I get a bit emotional after coming back to life. Here try this."

I took the bow from him. It was surprisingly light, perfectly balanced. And it was silver. I tested the string, listened to its humming. The bow fitted so well with me, as if we were born for each other. I smiled at the son of Hephaestus.

"Wait 'till you see this." - Leo grinned, pulling out a full bag of arrows. I gasped.

"It's like the Hunger Games!" - I couldn't help but grin. - "You've even got the arrow sorted."

"Yeah. Made it for Frank but he didn't want to leave his old bow. Red one for fire arrows." - He pointed. - "Yellow for explosive ones. Blue for smoke. Black for rope. Green for light. Brown for normal." - I nodded, feeling the excitement coming up. - "Hold on girl. Give me the bow. See this button?" - I nodded again. - "Push it and the bow folds itself, you can put it here in the bag." - He said and demonstrated. - "Push again to activate it. Got it? Good. Now you can go to save the world, Katniss."

I gave him a quick hug, unable to form a word. This could very much be a dream.

"I say off to save the world, Katniss." - Leo chuckled, untangled himself from me.

"I don't save the world, fortunately. Just an unlucky person from the wrath of our mother." - I sighed, looking up at the hero of Olympus. He quirked an eyebrow.

"It will always involve saving the world. Trust me."

Dante and I had to drag a drooling Kyle out of Bunker 9. The guy was whining over some stuff that according to Leo were "unfinished". The son of Hephaestus had once again buried himself in the projects and up-coming inventions.

"C'mon Kyle. We can come back after the quest. It'll be fun."

"But I want!"

* * *

We departed after 9pm, since I didn't want to make a fuss, and also Dante needed time to get used to his super watch, and I with the shield, bow and arrows. Kyle? He was already a pro at climbing. The gloves Leo gave him only made it easier.

We got on to the Camp taxi. Rachel and Chiron were waving from the top of the hill, next to Thalia's tree.

"Shit!" - I shouted, panic kicking over.

"What?" - Kyle replied, already guard up.

"I don't have a dagger." - I said, realizing the horror creeping up to me. - "I don't have a dagger!"

"Why on Earth do you need a dagger?" - Dante asked, eyes wide on me. - "You got your bow and arrows!"

But my brother have a pair of badass daggers. I thought, pouting. And so did Legolas.

"Nothing." - I sighed. - "Just a childish thing."

Dante shrugged, staring out of the window. But Kyle grinned at me. - "Don't worry, I will get you a pair." - He winked.

I smiled. I went on a deadly quest, yes, looking for a person who probably didn't know of my existence and rescuing said person of Artemis's warth. Not the ideal summer a thirteen year old could have. But at least I got my friends with me.


	12. Chapter 12

**I am so so _so_ sorry about the delaying guys. Turn out the life after graduating isn't that much cool, and uni is not that challenging, not yet. And the teachers in my uni are sooooo boring. Drop. Dead. Boring. All of our given tasks are like "Write a paragraph about your pet" or "Your favourite book" and I came to a severe self-shock that I can barely talk for the next day when a classmate announced that "The Old Man And The Sea" was written by Shakespeare (as in ****_WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE_****) _and _half of my class have never heard about _HARRY POTTER_ before. All came in one day! And not to mention my plan to study in Germany was delayed a year later because a _little _change from the Embassy of German in Vietnam.**

**So, life SUCKS. And I kind of ran out of energy and motivation for months because of those goldfish around me. **

**Please excuse me for the anger-lashing above. I just need to pour everything out after bottling up my emotion for so long.**

**Here comes the new chapter! And disclaimer (as I had forgot all the time): I don't own the PJO.**

* * *

"Now what?" - Dante asked. We were dropped off in the middle of Brooklyn, NY. That's as far as the camp taxi could take us. From here we had to travel by ourselve. The boys turned to me, head of the quest (ironic much), and I stared back at them.

It was a looooonggggg awkward staring match, because what a miracle it was, none of us had any idea what a quest was like.

"I think we should find some shelter first." - Kyle suggested, and we clinged on it as if it was our only hope.

"Yeah, we can plan out a clear strategy of where to go and what to do, later." - Dante agreed whole-heartedly with me nodding so hard that my neck almost snapped. - "I know a place."

Dante led us to an old building not so far from our spot. He explained that he had a friend - non-demigod that one - who lived here, and hopefully still, who could let them stay over a night or two (if nessecary).

Greeting us, however not the cheerful guy who matched Dante's description, but an African woman who looked as old as the Earth and smelled of cat and onion. Overly friendly, and with broken English, she literally pulled all three us demigods inside the apartment (such a strong grip that woman had!) and closed the door. Behind me Kyle secretly pulled his pair of knives out...

"Put ya shining knives away skinny boy, before you poke someone's eyes with it!"

We jumped up nearly a feet, startled by the strange voice, which (wow!) came from a mirror in the corner of the room.

"Whacha standing there for!?" - The mirror shouted - "Come and help the old lady a hand, would ya!? Does it look like I can walk to you!?"

Mouth gasping like a fish out of water, I turned around to look at the old lady who let us in, and the shouting mirror. Kyle knocked my jaw closed back, as Dante slowly approaching that... speaking thing.

"Kids these days," - It continued - "Absolute no manners. Oy, hurry up boy! I could have died of old age here before you could come here."

"Wha... " - My jaw dropped again - "What on Earth is THAT!?"

"Watch your tounge young lady! I am no THING!" - Okay now I was freaking out! Could anyone tell me what the heck was going on? Dante gingerly picked the old mirror up, and by the look of it, it wasn't very light either. - "Careful would ya! Drop me and you dead!" - Slowly, and with the most disgusted look that ever graced his baby round face, he put the mirror on the sofa and took a quick step back next to me.

It was the ugliest and oldest face I've ever seen, and it WAS the mirror. Kinda like the one in Snow White, which made me realized...

"She ain't no evil queen and I no magic mirror." - The face grumbled, spitting at me. - "You read too many fairy tales, kid." - It didn't stop me turning around to check the old lady in the kitchen again though. - "I said PUT YOUR KNIVES AWAY Skinny!" - The mirror face shouted, and Kyle lowered his knives a bit. - "Are you young all deaf!?"

"I'm sorry but, whaa... Who are you?" - My eyes locked on the old lady sitting in the floor of the kitchen, her hands playing with some potatoes. She, however human she looked, didn't feel human at all. Instead, the way she played with those potatoes reminded me of my old cat. And her voice, through those broken words she had spoken to us, come to think about it, sounded like from a broken record, and unhuman-like. - "She is not human, isn't she?" - I asked, pointed to the kitchen. - "What is she?"

"Ooh, look what we've got here!" - The mirror sung - "Someone who has EYES! EYES!" - It, or she, or whatever laughed, and the old lady poked her head up to cheer along. - "Eyes eyes EYES!" - She screamed the last word in a deafening high pitch that had us all down on the floor, covered our ears. - "Someone make her shut up!" - Dante yelled, which only made the mirror laughed harder. - "It's been soooo long that I get to laugh like this!"

"Can you shut up please!?" - Kyle yelled above the noise.

"Say the magic word!"

"What?"

"Please!" - Kyle said through gritted teeth.

"There you go." - I slumled down in relief, next to me, Dante rolled over from his spot on the floor. - "All you youngling need is an effective lesson of manner."

"Who are you?" - I blew out another breath. - "Evil mirror queen?"

"Eyes and creative much, huh?" - The mirror clicks her tounge. - "No, I'm not, idiots. I am N'uhya, a magic user. And what are you?"

"Err, kids?" - Dante sat up, shaking his head. The mirror clicked her tounge again. - "We are kids."

"You are no kids. No odinary kids, that's much I can tell."

We exchanged a quick glance. Have anyone ever heard of N'uhya before? A talking mirror, er? So that was listed as monsters or not?

"Erm,..." - Kyle opened his mouth to answer, but the... witch (I was creative, right?) cut him first - "Let the one who has eyes speak. She is less of an idiot than you."

Glancing at a slightly offended son of Hermes, I gingerly took a step forward and sat down in front of the mirror. - "We, erm..." - I glanced back at Dante, but his confusion was not helping at all. - "We are somewhat magical too." - I took a deep breath. Great start. - "We are looking for a person who stole something of another high-being and powerful. We need to take... Er... the lost thing... back to its owner, and..." - I bit my lips. - "Erm... Save someone?"

The mirror stared straight at me, and I felt like a child being scolded at by her grandmother. - "That's the most discreet and horrible sum up I've ever heard." - She finally said. - "But I see, Daughter of the Moon, you don't like sharing secret, given your whole... existence itself is a mystery."

My jaw dropped. What did she call me? A gasp of shock from Dante and Kyle proved that I didn't hear it wrong. How the heck did this weird mirror know who I was?

"Oy, give the old woman some credit!" - She exclaimed - "I am a mirror but no fool. Those power radiating from you three, such a lucky fate you have that the monsters haven't smelled you first." - She chuckled - "and a link that growing stronger..." - I didn't like the wicked smile she was wearing, not at all. Abruptly, I stood up.

"Kyle, Dante," - I didn't dare to leave my eyes of the mirror. - "We're leaving."

"Don't be so rude." - The witch chanted, and I heard sound of weapons pulled out. Dante and Kyle was standing back to back with me as facing them was the old lady before, only now she did not look... weak at all. Claws and fangs, now I knew what she was. - "A cat?" - I wondered out loud - "An old... Vicious... Cat...human?" - I turned back to the mirror - "What the hell!?"

"Yeah Nyah, my cat." - She hummed and the old-lady-cat-human purred in response. - "Very very helpful."

"Interesting friend you have, Dante." - Kyle mumbled.

"Shut up." - The son of Demeter shot back.

"Boys, focus." - I snapped. - "Look, N'uhya, mirror, whatever you are...". "I AM NO THING!" . "Okay, okay I get it!" - I shouted, pulling my own bow out. - "Look, we just wondered if Dante's old friend still lived here or not. Apparently not. So, we are sorry to interrupt you from whatever you are busy yourself with." - I spoke as quickly as I could - "We are sorry, okay? So now we will leave, in leace, no harm done. And we can forget that this... fascinating meet-up ever happened. Okay?"

The three demigod us held our breath, weapons ready in hand, watching the little deal tickling through the mirror's mind.

"Okay," - She said - "I don't want to mess up with your parents, or uncle." - That blow was for me, no doubt. - "So shoo, out of my sight." - The cat-human-thing left out of the door, and Kyle quickly shove Dante out first before pulling me next to him. - "But remember, Daughter of the Moon," - I stood back, fighting against the pull of Kyle - "Blood will shed, that you can do nothing about. He was destined to walk another way. Another way much shorter than yours." - Anger burnt in me as this time, I struggled to go back breaking that stupid talking mirror. - "Nothing you can do about."

Kyle, together with Dante, pulled me out of the apartment, and kicked the door shut.

* * *

The anger bubbling up after that encounter was almost unbearable, we never found out exactly what N'uhya was and what happened to Dante's friend. The three of us kept on the track to the South, according mostly to my telepathy link with my brother. That one was hard to explain to my friends. Apparently I could only fool them for so long. It wasn't after a week later Kyle confronted me with this dreading question.

"What are you still hiding from us, Arwen?"

Upon hearing this, Dante popped his head up from the bed he had claimed. We were resting in a small motel, owned by a middle-aged daughter of Apollo (thank for the head-up, Uncle).

"What do you mean I'm hiding?" - I replied without looking at him. His brown eyes sometimes could make me feel like he was reading my thought. Kyle did not give up, of course. He came and sat down next to me.

"Don't play pretend, Arwen." - He said gently - "We have been running around for more than a week, and it's always you who comes up with where to go all of a sudden. You never tell us how you know, or, even what the Oracle had told you." - He paused abit. Dante had come and sat next to my other side. - "We go on a quest together, which means all the danger, all the risk, all the monsters, we will face together. That also means you can't keep us in the dark forever."

The truth was, I have been using my special ability to break in my twin brother's mind lately, in order to find out where he was, or where he had been, after running away from our aggressive dearest mother. Given that only a handful number of people knew of him, I only gave Kyle and Dante a vague explaination whenever we set up to go. It wasn't like I didn't trust them, here I was putting my life in their hands. It just... something personal. The only thing personal and closest to a home, a family that I had left. Something I was not sure if I wanted to share.

_Come up with the excuse, Arwen._

"And don't lie." - Dante added quietly - "Your imagination has been running wide lately."

_Sweet lord above..._

Pulling my knees up to my chest in a defending position, I huffed rather childishly - "If I don't want to?". Kyle sighed, rubbing his eyes. - "Arwen..."

"No, really." - I interrupted him. - "You want to know the reason? The reason is I have a secret, a big bad secret that even most of the Gods don't know, and rather not allowed to know about. It's personal, and I really, really not sure if I am ready to tell you."

"What about the prophecy?" - Dante asked, his brows knitted in frustration. - "Kyle is right, you can't even hide us from the prophecy as well. Even if it's cryptic we can work it out together..."

"But you don't understand!" - I exclaimed, jumped out of my bed - "It's not cryptic at all. Not at all! It is so clear that I am dreading even just to think about it!" - Tears, somehow, started to well up my eyes, and I wiped them away, angry with myself. Why was I even crying!? - "I don't want to think about it." - I turned my back to them, in a fruitless attempt to hide my pathetic tears.

But Kyle had beat me to it. His strong arms wrapped my in a brotherly hug, and my mind drifted to my lonely twin out there, wondering if he had any body else, or he was alone by himself? Was he cold? Did he have an friends? Gods I didn't even know his name...

A sob, and another, and soon I was crying on Kyle's shoulder. His strong grip around only made me feel worse, because it reminded me so much how much I wanted a family, a sibling, to share everything with.

"Shh, Arwen, you have us." - The son of Hermes soothed me - "Okay, we get it. There's something bad you don't want to tell us about." - Dante, with wide eyes, gingerly moved to sit next to us. - "But you know you can trust us, right? You can trust us, Arwen. We will always be here for you."

But who would be there for my brother?

* * *

**Rusty much, isn't it? Sorry, I still have to find the right tune for the story, after losing it to a tank of goldfish. Tell me what you think to improve this better!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: This magical adventurous world belongs to our dearest Uncle Rick. I only own my OCs.**

* * *

The rain was tapping violently on the window, struggling to break in the old wooden house. Kyle was snoring quietly next to me, and on the other side was Dante, eyes open, curling up like a ball, staring at the cackling fire that was guarding us from the coldness outside.

I pulled my knees up to my chest, leaning on the son of Hermes for some little extra warmth. The seventeen year old boy was dead to the world the moment he laid down on the floor. It was a long day, stumbling upon a monster cafe and joining a marathon for life. Kyle had a sweet cut on his forearm, but thank the gods it wasn't poisonous or too deep. Dante and I made it out alive and out of breath, mostly thanked to Kyle.

Dante poked the fire with a stick to keep it light up. - "Why don't you take a nap?" - He suggested, glancing up at me. - "I will take the first guard."

I shook my head. - "I'll be fine." - I kept my voice low, not to disturb the poor boy on my left. - "You should sleep."

Dante kept his gaze fixed on me, as if he was afraid I would disappear the moment he looked away. And to be fair, his anxiety was not baseless. For the last two eventful weeks, my mind was toying with the idea of leaving. Looking at the son of Demeter, I sighed - "You can lean on me with you want, so that you would know if I sneaked away."

Dante was not a fool to be played with. He proved that more than once. Despite his baby young face and curly brown hair that made him younger than thirteen year old, Dante had lived the life of a demigod for nearly seven years, even longer than Kyle. Sometimes I felt like he was an old wise man trapped in the body of a child.

Biting back a huge yawn, the son of Demeter laid down next to me. - "Wake me up if anything happened." - He said, before giving up to the land of dream.

Thunder crackled out side making the whole weakening structure we were settling in shook. For a moment I wondered if it was because some gods were arguing again.

Left alone with the pouring rain outside, I was free to roaming with my thoughts. So much had happened lately, enough to scar me with nightmares. As exhausted as I felt, the idea of falling asleep was still somewhat unbearable, as I knew the moment I closed my eyes, I would see him, my twin brother, laying dead in my arms.

A cold wind swept in, and I shuddered, whether of my thought or the coldness, I wasn't sure.

"..._he was destined to walk another way. Another much shorter than yours..."_

Stupid mirror, I scoled myself for even thinking of that weird thing. It sure as hell wasn't a comfort thought for the night.

But, however freaky that mirror woman was, and no matter how many times Kyle assured me it was just a magic trick of useless witches, her words stuck to me, just like the words of the Oracle.

_"...Blood will shed and tears will fall..._

_...Down to South the Moon is called..._

_...The child is lost and the child that not..._

_...One would live while the other falls..."_

Talk about the needed comfort, this was definitely not one.

As much as I tried to play with the words, its meaning was too clear to be ignored. Through the mind of my brother as he was running from Artemis, I could see his path heading south. From what I gathered from the monsters at the cafe before we were chased to death, the dearest mother was also heading there, from the trace of power her bow left. However, her enemies had caught wind of the news, therefore her journey was much rougher than ours, encounters with "old friends" every now and then.

I believed that was enough for me to question which part of the Prophecy would come true next. There was nothing cryptic about it, at least with whom it concerned.

_One would live while the other fall_.

Fall could have lots of meaning, I told myself countless time ever since I first heard it, in a fruitless attempt to fool myself from the inevitable. Didn't work at all._ ...much shorter than yours..._

I shook my head to chase away the thought._ Stop it._

The dying sound of the rain startle me. I wasn't in the house with Dante and Kyle anymore. Instead, I was in a warm cafe. 11 o'clock, the clock on the wall read. So it was the same time as in my reality. I was no longer foreign with little trip like this one, drifting to my brother's mind. Eventually our telepathy link was strong enough to catch up on each other's current status.

Which reminded me, could he feel me there? In his head? It must be sooo awkward, I thought. Could he enter my mind as well? I found myself, or rather my brother stood up from his place and headed to the restroom.

_Uh oh, need not to see this..._

He was there faster than I could escape, and now he was staring in the mirror, at his reflection. I winced, realized how exhausted he was. His blond tangled hair covered his eyes, but it didn't cover the lack of sleep written clearly on his face. He knitted his eyebrows.

"Who are you?" - Came the unexpected question. It took my a few second to realize he was talking directly to ME.

He turned away from the mirror, and I found us facing each other. I have gained a body of my own, even though it was weak, and foggy, a reflection. The shock of this new found information passed away quickly as my twin brother pulled out his pair of daggers.

"Who are you?" - He demanded, his eyes flashing red, a thing I never expected from him. - "Why are you following me around. Why are you in my head? WHAT are you?"

Something broke inside me, something dreaded and cold. Couldn't he see it? Couldn't you feel it?

"Feel what!?" - He spatted out, gripping his weapons firmly. - "Speak!"

"Brother." - I choked back a sob. - "It's me. It's me, brother. I'm your sister, I'm your twin. Can you see it? Can you feel it? We are twins, brother. Can you see the resemblance between us?"

The blue eyes widened in shock, but as quickly as it came, he hid it it away. - "Liar." - He grunted, without knowing I was dying inside hopelessly - "Another trick of the goddess." - It was more like he was talking to himself more than to me. - "I keep having these illusions. She thinks she can fool me?" - The muderous glare he sent my way was more than familiar, the same one I saw from Artemis. - "I have no sister. Go back to your master and tell her to shove off to Tartarus, where she belongs."

He promptly walked passed me, shooing the shadow of my reflection away before I could speak another word, and successfully knocked me back into reality.

Shaking uncontrolably, I held back the scream that was about to escape my throat. The rain kept storming outside, but there was nothing that could compare to the tsunami I was feeling inside. He didn't believe me. My brother didn't know I existed. My brother thought I was just an illusion Artemis sent to trick him.

He didn't know about me.

He didn't know my name.

I hadn't even asked his.


	14. Chapter 14

Thunder. Lightning struck. The earth rumbled.

We haven't left the wooden house for three days.

Rain hasn't stopped since. And our food was running out.

I was desperately trying to stay positive, but it was proven to be unachievable with an almost empty stomach that whined every ten minute. The only thing I could come up with was that at least we have enough water.

If it were a different situation, I might have found the smell of earth and rain around me comforting. But right then it was draining me out.

Kyle and Dante didn't get any better. Everyone got cranky recently, as if we were all ticking bombs waiting for that one dreaded moment, and Dante pointed out that if we shut up, we could avoid it.

Good point.

It was my guard shift at the time, I positioned myself at the only door of the house. It probably wouldn't do much, even if I was at my best state. The so called _door_ was barely a wooden piece that somehow still stuck by the frame, but not for long. I doubted it could last through this storm, even a baby could kick that pathetic thing down.

I sniffed, the stomach grumbled unhappily. Well, you would have to wait, just like all of us.

On the other side of the house, Kyle was playing with the fire, literally. I looked away so I would not catch his accused glance from time to time. He didn't approve that I was hiding secret from him and Dante, and I wasn't ready to share the nature of this quest to anyone else. Too many lives were in the line of danger if this information got out. Not that I did not trust Kyle or Dante, I just did not want to drag them in Hell with me.

_To be fair, _a voice in my head whispered, _it was that kind of thought that dragged the protagonist in all of the mess and their friends had to sacrifice to help them out. Do you want that to Kyle and Dante too?_

_Of course not._ I scoffed. _I just simply cared for them, it was my family drama in the first place._

_Hmm._ Said the voice. _Keep telling yourself that, you selfish spawn. And while at that, ask yourself the real reasons why you were hiding secrets from your friends. _

I wished that voice had a face, so I could glare at it.

"You're trying to murder the door by glaring at it?"

My hand reached for the bow and an arrow was drawn before my head caught up with the situation. The silver hair boy snorted, rolled his eyes unimpressingly.

"Brother?" - How...? How even!? What the...?!

"Arwen? You okay?" - Dante's voice called out. Take a deep breath, Arwen. My twin leaned on the door frame, obviously enjoying how shaken I was._ Brat._

"I'm okay. Just startle." - I called back. The other two guys rumbled something incoherently in return. My brother again rolled his eyes. What did he expect me to say? He was only in my head! And even then he only appeared like a ghost. Did he really expect me too call out my friend to watch me having a civil conversation with a door I called brother?

He titled his head aside. "Weird." - He mumbled. - "I think I hear your thought. What kind of spell did your mistress use on you?"

"We are twins." - I said through gritted teeth. - "We have telepathy power."

"Do you really expect me to buy that, minion?" - Running a hand through his messy silver hair, my brother barked out a bitter laugh. - "A goddess who swore to have no men, no children, suddenly had twins? Fate works in the most mysterious way, doesn't it?"

He knew!?

"Of course I know! Such a great bedtime story it is, a goddess abandoned her newborn son in the middle of a forest in winter! It makes great material for a cheap book, don't you think?" - He laughed again. - "Oh forget it, you're minion. I doubt you have any thought at all."

_Prick_. Brother or not he needed to learn to respect his elder, _AND I WAS THE OLDER ONE_. - "Listen to me you thick-headed..."

"Ohh, feisty little minion!"

Anger, and probably hunger, blinded my vision, and I slapped him.

The first thought that came to my mind the moment later was "Holy Hades I just slapped a ghost in my head."

Definitely hunger speaking.

"You slapped me! How dare you!?" - My brother roared. Oh no boy you did not get to talk here, we were in my head this time!

"To slap some sense back to your pig head!" - I hissed, eyes blazing. - "Observe! Don't you see our similarities? We share the same features, the same blood, the same goddamned goddess that neither of us cares enough to call mother. If your head is too thick then listen to your goddamned heart! Don't you feel our blood call for the other? Don't you feel that tug at your chest like something is missing when you look at the moon? Don't you ever run in the wood and feel like there is a presence around you? Mister that is not our dearest mother, it was me that whole damned time! I was missing you, I have been looking for you even before I knew you exist! Don't you ever feel the same!? Answer me!"

But he didn't. His notrils flared, eyes were blazing as if they were trying to burn me alive. I hated how similar his eyes were with Artemis, especially when they were full of hatred and anger, toward me.

Such a mama's boy already.

"The Hades are you talking about Arwen?"

We both turned to the side, Dante was staring at me skeptically, and Kyle had his weapons in hand.

My brother vanished. That... _brat_!

"Who are you talking to, Arwen?" - Kyle took a step forward. I winced at how cautious he was at me. - "Answer me."

The pig of a brother, I cursed inwardly. Curse the pig for not understanding, curse the pig for not seeing, curse him for being away from me.

"My brother." - I sighed, avoiding my friend's stares. - "My twin brother."

An awkward silence.

"He stole..." - I swallowed, feeling the familiar burning in my eyes when tears threatened to fall. - "He stole Artemis's bow." - I made a vague motion with my hand. - "He stole it. And Artemis wants him dead."

Dante reached me first, he elbowed Kyle out of the way. - "I'm so sorry, Arwen."

"I thought you said you were the only child." - Kyle did not come to my side, but at least he did not raise his sword to my face either. Dante sent him a glare.

"I thought I was." - Closing my eyes, I had to focus on how to breath. I always knew I had to tell them at one point, but... not like this. I did not know exactly how, but not like this. I did not want Kyle to look at me this way, like I was a betrayal.

"Maybe later, Kyle..."

"Bullshit, Dan. She lied to us! She lied to us the whole damn time, you know it." - Kyle swept his sword at the air. - "She's been lying to us! She didn't event tell us what the prophecy was. She just swept in and dragged us in with her. She did not even know what the hell she was doing half of the time. Barely trained, disobbeying... You think you are the great Percy Jackson, off to save the world on your own magical doing? Well I have news for you here, Arwen, breaking news! You. Are. Not. Him. You are not Percy Jackson. You don't even have what it takes to be a leader! And how unfortunate it is for you that the two guys you picked are neither Annabeth Chase and Grover either!"

"Kyle that's enough!" - Dante shouted, stepping forward to shield me off from the son of Hermes' anger. - "You are not yourself right now."

"I am perfectly myself right now. Thank you for your input!" - Kyle roared at us, but Dante did not falter one step. I whimpered.

"Kyle, let me explain."

"I'm tired of your lies, Arwen." - He spatted out. - "I trusted you, and I just want you to trust me. Why did you hide this from me? I am older, I have seen twins, powerful twins even. I could have helped you. What is the reason that you hid it from me?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but no word came out. What was the reason?

My Uncle said not to tell anyone that I didn't trust with all my life. _I did trust them, more than my life._

Not even most of the gods knew. _They would question, they would have guessed even. Only one with Artemis's blood could touch the bow, and how many on Earth shared her blood?_

_Because reasons._

I did not want to tell them. I wanted to have my brother for my own, someone left that I could call "my own family". I did not want to share him, not with anyone, not with my best friends.

Selfishness. I did not tell them because I was selfish.

Kyle quirked his eyebrow up as if to say _See?_

Even Dante did not look at me in the eyes anymore.

I wanted to say something, but I was too afraid to speak up. I was stupid enough.

"Later." - Dante said for no one in particular. He rubbed his eyes tiredly. - "We leave tomorrow, rain or not. Let's get this shit done."

We nodded, each climbed back to our own spot, without any other word spoken.

* * *

He came back after midnight.

I couldn't sleep, guilt burnt in me, threatened to drown me in its prison. Kyle would not speak to me, and Dante would not look at me in the eyes. I did not realize how much they have trusted me, I had taken them for granted, and this was the result of my stupidity.

A small, selfish part of me whispered that it was not my fault, it was because of them. They were too stupid to understand me, they did not understand, they were not worth my time and tears.

I told that voice to shut up.

Because it was my fault, right? I made the same mistake I told myself I'd not fall into. Such a cliche. I hid the prophecy from them, I hid my brother from them, I hid everything about the quest from them, thinking I could do it on my own, thinking I was kind of a heroine in a romance book, where I did not need any princes or knights or...

But Kyle was right, I was barely trained, I was not Percy Jackson who killed a Minotaur at twelve. I was bookworm Arwen who only knew how to use bow and arrows and couldn't even hold a sword right.

My brother said nothing to me, but he stayed there with me the whole time, listened to my cry until the dawn shown up.


End file.
